A Sex Kitten vs The Deranged Black Mutt: The Truth about Cats and Dogs
by more commas than necessary
Summary: She was the stuck-up Slytherin who needed to be taken down a peg or ten and he was the Gryffindor in possession of some provocative photos who'd taken it upon himself to show her just how far she could fall from her throne but if he thought she was going to be complacent in his blackmail he was in for a nasty hex...
1. Chapter 1

First of all I wanted to make this AU because I want Sirius to have a good happy thing like James had with Lily and Remus had with Tonks. Canon Siris had a shit deal and I am not going to go over that again so I'm going to AU this fanfic because it's fanfic. Secondly, Slytherin has the highest percentage of purebloods and I doubt people like Lucius Malfoy would live in a 'damp, cold' Common Room described in canon so it's getting a major makeover. Lastly, I'm assuming more than one student brought a cat to Hogwarts so there's going to be a few roaming around because cats are precious and shouldn't be neglected in a storyline.

Oh, and one last thing. The disclaimer for copyright and ownership (I do not have the rights). We all know who this belongs to, don't we? All hail Queen Rowling (she really is the best).

 **Chapter One.**

Midori Brooks was not a nice witch.

The sixth year Slytherin Prefect was the kind of girl who once made fun of squibs and occasionally made out with other people's boyfriends because the ensuing drama would give her an excuse to test out one of the more interesting spells from books from the Restricted Section of the library.

Even the infamous Bellatrix Black knew not to mess with the petite raven-haired beauty with a tendency to hex someone before speaking.

Ever since Midori defeated Black not once but thrice in a duel that fateful day in Greenhouse Two, Bellatrix developed a strange fixation with her younger Housemate, always trying to recruit her into some death-eating cult.

Sure Midori was a _little_ hostile and her perchance for mischief oft mistaken for malice but she wasn't anywhere twisted enough to be in Bellatrix's league, and the last cult she wanted to join was one spearheaded by a sociopath whose members thought snake-skulls with tongues hanging out were a cool thing to tattoo onto their own bodies.

Gross. Just gross.

As Midori strolled through the Slytherin Basement, fellow Prefect Lucius Malfoy called out a greeting.

Lucius's girlfriend glanced up from her book with a scowl, jealousy sharpening her pretty face.

Narcissa Black, Midori repressed a sigh, was a haughty ice princess with major insecurity issues. As the youngest sister from the _noble_ (cough) House of Black she was just about the last girl Midori had expected to date the silver-tongued playboy of Slytherin but even she had to admit Lucius wasn't bad to look at even one overlooked the cancerous growth that constituted his personality.

Narcissa slammed down her book down as Lucius inquired about Midori's day and began to rise, reaching into her robes.

Midori whispered, _"Aguamenti,"_ pointing discreetly at the blonde's head. Water instantly drenched her slender classmate, sending nearby witnesses into roaring laughter and the victim careening into her sister.

Bellatrix froze, looking torn between fury and amusement as ink spilled all over her parchment. As her sister spluttered and clung to her, Lucius outright laughed and clapped. Boyfriend of the year he was not.

To prevent retaliation Midori placed a full Body-Bind Curse on Bellatrix before the witch could shake off her whining sister.

Midori gave an innocent shrug as Narcissa spluttered like a drowned rat, too enraged to hex her back, or perhaps too scared to take her in a duel with Bellatrix incapacitated and her boyfriend evidently not going to serve as backup.

Lucius paled dramatically as Midori shot him a narrow-eyed look and leveraged her wand at his crotch.

"Flirt with me one more time and I'll serve your bollocks to _Cissy_ as pâté."

Silence was absolute as she made her way through the Commons.

Lucius wasn't one to ignore a challenge and for some odd reason, the male population at Hogwarts considered Midori the ultimate red flag to their grotesque egos. Bets circulated ever since Fourth Year.

Iron-black fireplaces shaped into a dragon's mouth centered on the west and east walls radiated warmth, washing over Midori as she weaved her way through fragrant leafy plants, shrubs, and bookshelves that formed a maze to partition the enormous room into semi-secluded alcoves for studying.

Banners hung proudly from the ceiling, not the thick or heavy fabrics of other Houses but light, airy material that fluttered as if disturbed by a gentle, non-existent wind.

Her mood lightened considerably as she followed a marbled pathway toward the sleeping quarters where emeralds the sizes of newt spleens, each worth a goblin's fortune lighting up beneath her feet as she glided over the paved trail.

The long but not narrow path before her twisted deep underground, lit by small spheres of blue fire drifting through the air not unlike dandelion fluff. Like the entrance to the Slytherin Basement itself, the bedroom doors were hidden.

Counting gemstones as reference Midori quickly located the area she sought and retrieved her wand, six and a quarter inches of the rare silver lime wood with the core of not one but two inseparable twin unicorn hairs, tapping it at a specific groove on the left wall.

The wall shuddered and groaned but no door appeared. She tapped another groove and the same process happened. On her fifth attempt she'd succeeded in locating her room.

The solid barrier beside her shimmered then melted away, revealing the entrance to a lavishly decorated room with not one but three queen sized beds.

The Slytherin Basements were naturally the best available at Hogwarts.

Midori's room was styled like a feature spread in _Luxury Dwellings_ only with less red and more purple. Seventeen parcels rested neatly on her vanity table made of moonspun marble, and a ginger cat she never bothered to name purred loudly atop a clean pile of robes.

Unlike the other Houses, all Slytherin from their very first year had their own rooms to appreciate. There was no sharing of space or dorms to be packed like cattle or peasants and since their House was located beneath the Great Lake so there was no size restriction to the dimensions of the private quarters, the only limitation the strength of spells to counteract water pressure and infrequent attacks by mermaids hammering on the windows.

After sorting through letters, her ever meddlesome father expousing the wonders of arranged marriages which was utterly barbaric, Midori ripped into her package from Honeydukes before absently scanned the last letter, thinking it was another overdue library fine

Boy was she wrong. The message ruined her entire evening, made her palms shake and the Sugar Quill she consumed turn to lead in her stomach.

He's bluffing, she told herself firmly despite her racing heart and flushed cheeks. The initial shock eventually faded as denial gave way to fear.

Forcing her fisted hands to unclench the crumpled pieces of parchment, Midori reread the elegant words that had sent her nerves into a tailspin.

 _I have, in my possession, some delightful photos of you wearing nothing but dimples and posed like a naughty puss waiting to be spanked. If you care to preserve your modesty you know where to find me little Miss Sex Kitten._

 _\- S.B._

Anger eventually came to her rescue, jolting her into action.

After incinerating the message, a quick time check revealed it was only quarter to eight.

Within minutes Midori found herself racing up the stairs into the Great Hall. Even as logic cautioned her to think before acting, she raced ahead, hexing the terrified younger students when they proved too slow to move.

As she descended upon the Great Hall, the devil in the form of a handsome dark-haired boy glanced up from a generous heaping of apple crumble and several heads at the Gryffindor table turned to stare.

James Potter greeted Midori with a long whistle and smirked, "Looking good, Brooks!"

Normally she would've turned his hair grey but she was too incensed, too focused on her prey this time than spare Potter a withering glare.

"You." Midori hissed at Black, the word emerging breathless and strangled. "You _bastard!_ "

"Actually my parents are still married, more's the pity." Sirius drawled as he dug a fork into a delicious, fragrant apple tart. "Simmer down, kitten, we have an audience. You don't want to cause a scene, do you?"

In view of the teachers, a dozen curious Gryffindors, and one convulsing James Potter silently dissolving into a fit, Midori forced herself to calm and managed to grit out, "Could I please have a minute? Alone?"

"Polite aren't you? Here, eat some pie. You look starved," Sirius smirked.

A chorus of 'ooohs' from nearby idiot Gryffindors made Midori's vision mist red as warm apple filling and pastry smeared over her lips and chin.

"Open," Black chided. "Look at you, you're shaking, kitten. If you faint on me I might have you kiss you."

The temptation to hex Black was overwhelming Midori tasted blood as she bit back the words blistering her tongue, managing to refrain even as she gripped her wand, belatedly wiping her face.

Forcing her shaking hands to steady, she cast a Souring Charm over the food within Black's immediately vicinity. His eyebrows pinched as his fork clattered to the floor.

" _Accio_ Pumpkin Pastry." Black lazily waved his wand. "Now, now, kitten, you still have my full attention, don't pout. I assure you I can multitask."

"I need to talk to you." Midori snarled.

She'd always been cool and collected, always prided herself on her calm composure no matter how rattled, but she'd never been tested like _this._ There were allowances to be made for hissy fits when confronting a blackmailer.

"Right-o. If you want to talk so bad, give me your wand." Black arched an eyebrow.

"Scared of poor little old me?" Midori taunted.

Black merely shrugged. "I'm not stupid. You're one hell of a witch. Give me your wand or I'll wait for McGonagall to finish and help her escort all the first-years to bed."

Midori brushed off the compliment, compressing her lips. She was _not_ that pathetic little girl starved for attention or validation anymore, damn it! She was _not_ going to melt because someone tossed some crumbs of praise her way!

"Well?" Black murmured, "What's it going to be, kitten? Dinner's almost over and I have a busy week ahead of me. So much _homework_ to do, you see."

There was a thud and a crashing of plates as she turned to find a solemn sandy-haired boy, the Gryffindor Prefect Remus Lupin dragging away one howling James Potter.

"I wonder if Penny Blanc knows you refer to her as a tedious chore," Midori sneered.

Black tutted, expression twisting. "Now, now, kitten, let's not be nasty. Are we going to talk or what?"

With shaking hands Midori retrieved her wand and attempted to stab Black's outstretched hand. He grabbed her wand just before she made contact and she swallowed a protest at the rough way he treated her wand and the location he decided to stow it.

Curious eyes followed them from the Great Hall, not just from the Gryffindor table but suspicious faces from Slytherin, Lucius Malfoy's eyes narrowing before he turned to mutter something to Gordon Crabbe.

Midori barely refrained herself from kicking Black as he ushered her beyond the teacher's table but was saved from temptation when she reminded herself no part of her wanted to touch any part of him.

Anxiety burned like acid in her gut and coursed through her veins, rendering her legs jelly-like as Black led her into an empty classroom on the second floor.

She flinched when he lit the chandelier overhead with a spell and was dismayed to find herself shaking.

Acutely vulnerable and conscious she was alone in a room with the notorious Sirius Black, she kept a good distance between them and barricaded herself behind a desk, eyeing the door and mentally calculating the distance.

Without her wand, there was little she could do to defend herself, virtually no way she would win in a physical fight against the Gryffindor beater.

"What do you want?" Midori asked coldly when Sirius had the nerve to start humming, twirling his wand just to taunt her.

Would he extort her for money? His parents had cut him off years ago when he was sorted into Gryffindor House. He couldn't possibly want sex, not with the gaggle of giggling girls who traipsed after him as if he was some kind of rock star.

Black chided her impaitence before feigning a pensive look, holding up a hand.

Midori bit her tongue, shifting foot to foot as the silence stretched thin.

She waited until her body could no longer physically contain anxiety, a boot tapping rapidly against the ground but Black didn't seemed to be inclined to speak anytime soon.

She didn't want to provoke him - he already had the upper hand _and_ her wand. Her chances of negotiating the return of her photos was nil if she ran her mouth.

Damn him.

Her anxiety approached crippling new heights when he finally deigned to speak, straighting to full height, looking far too serious for her piece of mind.

She'd never seen him like this, not even when Severus Snape had confronted him shortly before the Whomping Willow attacked her fellow Slytherin over what Snape later brushed off as a 'misunderstanding'.

Misunderstandings between Black, his lifelong partner Potter, and poor Snape were legendary at Hogwarts but they never escalated to such a degree that the Ministry had been called in. To this day, no one knew what happened down on the grounds although rumours of werewolf attack had prompted several parents to converge and have a collective apoplexy in Dumbledore's office.

"I must say Brooks, you look good in pink. Didn't think it was your colour."

"Black," Midori snapped, hating how her words trembled despite her best to speak normally. "Let's not play games. How did you get those photos and what do you want for their return?"

"You."

She issued a challenge no red-blooded male could resist and Sirius cursed himself as he stared at the defiant little Slytherin princess who fired his blood and made him ache with wanting.

"I'm not for sale. Did you mistake me for one of your cousins?" Midori anchored her hips, eyes flashing. "You have some nerve."

"Can't say I'm into incest but I am rather glad we're not related. So you're not going to deny it's you in those photos, kitten?"

His blood turned molten as he recalled the photos in question and the way she positioned herself. The smile she wore, Merlin, he had to adjust his posture as Midori snarled something about feeding his testicles to the Giant Squid.

"Don't be cruel, think of his welfare. He might get indigestion."

She looked so damn innocent standing before him and yet he had in possession explicit proof otherwise. Midori Brooks had the face of an angel albeit a rather smug one that proclaimed she was better than the rest of the world and the body that could tempt a legion of holy warriors to fall.

It wasn't just her looks. Midori possessed an intriguing combination of haughtiness and sensual allure that had possessed him to make an absolute arse of himself since the beginning of their fourth year, trying to attract her attention to which she'd responded with increasing coldness and curt words.

Perhaps he should've have embarassed her or tried to needle her so much but he'd been a prat then, unwise in the ways of wooing.

Over the past two summers his obsession spiraled. Perhaps there was some truth in chasing after someone he couldn't have but all cliché and joking aside, after one too many Butterbeers Black entered an insane bet with his best mate that he could take Midori Brooks down a few pegs, a bet that had circulated widely around the school thanks to one eavesdropping Malfoy and was coming back to bit Sirius in the bollocks, and not in a naughty kinky fun way he liked being nibbled on.

He no longer wanted the money or bragging rights. He just wanted to see Midori's creamy thighs wide open and that glorious raven mane spread across his pillows.

"What do you want for the return of _my_ photos?" Midori hissed, unnerved by Black's silence ensuring stare. "This isn't funny. Tell me what you really want."

"You."

"No! I'm not _sleeping_ with you–"

"There'll be no sleep involved, kitten. I also need some answers from you–"

"Then read a damn book or find a Ravenclaw to tutor you!"

He laughed, sending chills down her spine.

Her arms banded tight over her stomach as she contemplated hurtling herself out the window. It was only two stories down. She suffered worse injuries from Flying Lessons.

Sirius watched Midori plot, fighting a grin. Her mind, her devious little mind was what got to him.

If she hadn't retaliated, in her subtle passive-aggressive manner over the past two years, he might've gotten over his crush but instead, she captured his attention and a dog simply didn't let go of his bone.

He almost had an stroke when he first heard whispers of the existence of her photographs and earned himself three months of detention cleaning Hospital bedpans by hand after confronting their owner, having planted his fists, repeatedly and quite vigorously into the slimy Ravenclaw bastard who'd taken them in the first place.

 _Sebastian Norton had remained stubborn until Sirius discovered_ he wasn't above using illegal spells when push came to shove, and wasn't that a shock? He was a Black after all. Mummy would've been so proud.

Midori trembled as something dark crossed Black's expression.

She tried and failed not to think how many copies of her pictures he's made and how many would circulate around the school by morning.

For the first time in her life she questioned her wand work.

The only witch in school who could possibly beat her in Charms was Lily Evans and Evans was too much of a goody-two shoes and would likely turn in a book of illegal Charms to Dumbledore instead of squirreling it away and learning them all.

Had she cast the spell wrongly? Her photographs should've looked like mundane scenic pictures taken by any regular Joe.

It wasn't like she could've practiced on something willy-nilly but evidently she screwed up given that Sirius was in possession of her photos.

Midori swallowed hard, trying to remind herself she wasn't ashamed as Sirius's eyes roamed her body, shame flogging her pride.

She made a choice while in a secure, loving relationship, never mind it hadn't panned out. Her heart ached at the thought of her ex turning the photos over to Black. Why had he done it? Sebastian was a good guy. They'd bonded in the library as first years, and he wasn't the type to simply do something as cruel as distribute his ex-girlfriend's naked photos. Had she misjudged him?

Clearly, a cynical voice mocked. This is what happens when you're desperate for someone to love you.

Love was an illusion that inevitably led to betrayal.

She thought they'd parted on good terms, Midori's heart panged. In fact, Sebastian had dumped _her_ and Bellatrix and her cronies gloated for _months_.

Sirus stared at the girl before him and suppressed guilt. Merlin he wanted to touch her but blackmail wasn't the approach to get a girl into the romantic mood.

Midori looked as if she was about to cry but it must've been a trick of light for she stared at him with such hatred he almost wondered if he'd imagined all those brief, admiring glances from her whenever he braved the Slytherin stands on the Quiddich Pitch.

"You're fucking pretty." He blurted and watched disbelief tighten her jaw.

"You're fucking _unbelievable_." She snapped, shaking her head. "You think compliments are going to get you into my good graces?"

"It's worth a try." Sirius sighed. "Do you want some flowers and chocolate and shit?"

Midori's eyes narrowed. As a matter of fact, she _did_ but not from him. Not, she repeated sternly as her internal audience clamored, from _him_.

Sirius conjured rose petals and swirled them around her, smirking as her lips peeled into a snarl. "No? Don't like the colour?"

Her features, by natural alignment of her boning lent her a fragility that made him want to hold her and promise to protect her from the world but he knew better. Midori Brooks wasn't a damsel in distress, she was the damsel that _created_ distressing situations.

She was so put together he wanted to throw her into a muddy pit and wanted to ruffle that waterfall of midnight silk just to see if shit would stick and if something other than a blank stare would ever grace her pretty face, if she was capable of smiling instead of sneers.

His conflicted feelings toward the Slytherin were profoundly irritating. He spent countless sleepness night trying to remember he didn't like Slytherins. They were a backward bigots, obsessed with preserving tradition and a rigid sticklers for rules of society better left to a bygone era.

Sure, Midori was gorgeous but she wasn't the first pretty girl to be sorted into Slytherin and he managed to ignore them all so why did _she_ make his heart race faster? What was it about her that made him forget she was everything he should despise?

Blue eyes watched him, unblinking. The color of her eyes were an unnatural eerie blue rimmed with flecks of darker hues. Midori herself reminded him of a cat, a sleek, beautiful and aloof cat that he wanted to chase and lick all over.

Maybe that's why he wanted her so badly, Sirius acknowledged ruefully. He was, by all accounts, a _dog_ person and she was kittenish. They said opposites attract right? Well consider him bloody attracted.

Midori was sure she was going to have a heart attack as Black stared at her in a manner that bespoke of a tormentor trying to decide which method to best inflict damage, to rip the wings off a butterfly so to speak.

Had she really been that stupid to hand over her wand and follow him to a deserted classroom away from potential witnesses to hear her scream? She flinched when Black stepped toward her.

"I said I want answers." His tone contrasted his violent expression. "What possessed you to fuck Sebastian Norton and _how_ exactly did you fuck him? _Why_ him?"

He wasn't jealous, Sirius told himself. He just wanted to kill that smug-faced bastard. How had someone that slimy managed to get Midori Brooks in bed was, in his books, a crime against humanity.

Midori's stubborn chin lifted, firing his blood.

"Tell me how you got those photographs, Black and what I have to do to get them back." Midori growled. "And _don't_ think you can blackmail me for sex, I'll neuter you."

Once she had her wand back she was going to kill him, Midori thought wildly.

Then she'd slice Norton into a thousand pieces of beef liver for the cats roaming around the halls for ever convicing her to take those stupid photos.

"Blackmail's such a nasty word. Why don't we call it… fate? Fate placed those photographs into my hands and fate will bring you to my bed."

Laughing. He was _laughing_ at her. Midori's fingers twitched.

Oh she might serve a few years in Azkaban but she was most definitely going to kill Orion Black's oldest son. The man would probably thank her and send her flowers in prison.

The door slammed open just as Black expelled a breath, sighing, "All right Brooks, look, here's the deal. What I really what–"

James Potter, bizarrely bald and smelling strongly of cat urine and rotten fish spoke, sounding as if he inhaled too much helium. "Padfoot, we have a problem! Evans's _allergic_ to sunflowers and this," he gestured his visage frantically, "This is the thanks I get!"


	2. Chapter 2

I try my best to make my story fit in line with Canon but Animagus transformations confuse me because McGonagall can transform from cat to witch fully dressed but Sirius (from what I remember of the books) couldn't and there was one instance where Pettigrew could (Shrieking Shack, Azkaban). It suits me to think of McGonagall as an exceptional witch, and given the complexity of work required to become an Animagus, especially proceeding unofficially without Ministry endorsement I'm going to make it Animagus cannot transform into their human form with clothes.

Except McGonagall. She rocks. Screw Pettigrew. I hold grudges and I do not excuse him for being a pathetic weak little coward, whatever the explanation behind his actions. I don't care about him, although I'll do my best to give him a back story.

 **Chapter Two**

Shortly after Potter's arrival, Black aborted Midori's company and the irate witch found herself uncharacteristically torn, unsure whether she was grateful or furious at Potter's interruption.

Black had simply refused to listen to reason or return her wand, informing her smugly their _discussion_ was postponed and walked out without so much as a backward glance.

Too panicked to consider the consequences of her actions, Midori had done, in hindsight the unthinkable, stripping and turning into her _Animagus_ form, tailing the boys back to Gryffindor Tower.

At a school like Hogwarts where cats by the dozen roamed free and unchecked, no one spared the sleek black cat a second glance, least of all Sirius who made condescending meowing noises at her and had the nerve to try and pick her up.

Midori scratched him and almost coughed up a hairball laughing when he cursed and had to stem the bleeding with a spell.

She _almost_ felt bad. He was _really_ good at stroking, the pressure of his hands magical but he was a scum-sucking bastard blackmailing her. At least she avoided his eyes. She wasn't _that_ evil.

Inside the Gryffindor Common Rooms, a wizard's chess tournament took place in the middle of the perfectly circular chamber.

Midori jumped onto the set and swiped a charging knight before darting up the stairs leading to the sixth year boys' dormitories, ignoring cries of "Bloody cat!"

She made a mental note of the third-year who'd attempted to blast her with a jet of water. He was going to get a nasty hex via letter when he least expected it.

Peasants, Midori's nose twitched as she took in the humble furnishings inside the boy's dorms. The décor was all over the place, the curtains over the beds clogged with dust, and although d the room offered a breathtaking view of the school grounds there was nothing particularly impressive about it. In fact the Astronomy Towers were more lavish. And didn't _anyone_ vaccum? Did the House Elves stage a boycott of the Boy's Sixth Year dorms due to fear of disturbing the insane amount of clutter?

Lily Evans and her friends were nowhere to be found so after much bellowing, trying and failing to get up the girl's dormitory stairs, Potter returned, followed by Black sporting a Bubble-Head Charm, attempting to placate,

"Mate, calm down. We'll figure it out!"

"Calm down? Calm down? Bloody hell, I'm bald!"

Midori took her time to sniff out a decent place to sit (Sirius's pillow of all places but alas it was the cleanest) and plotted furiously as her tail swished in agitation. One way or another, she was going to get her wand back and retrieve her photographs. Then she was going to kill Black and pin the murder on Potter. It would be easy to fake the story and convince everyone: closet gay lover overwhelmed by jealousy. No one would suspect a thing.

"Damn it Prongs, hold still!" A shout startled her into a hiss as Potter lurched in her direction.

She escaped seconds before he crashed into the exact spot she'd just been sitting.

His stench tickled her nose but the fish no longer smelled unpleasent in her _Animagus_ form.

Midori almost applauded the unfortunate object of Potter's affections. Had Lily Evans not been a Gryffindor, they might've been friends.

Midori had always known the redheaded witch to be an intelligent - Evans was one of the only contenders at Hogwarts to contest her status as top student - but evidently the Gryffindor was vindictive beneath her wholesome girl-next-door-appearence. Midori sneezed in delight as Black bellowed in pain, snarling,

"Oi! That's it! I'm getting Moony!"

The hex Evans placed on Potter's head wasn't difficult to reverse. If only the boys had spent more time studying and not playing pranks then they would've realized the counter-spell was a simple _Jvbenfi_. The Russians were masters in creativity, following a simple _do no harm but cause maximum chaos_ adage she adopted.

Midori watched curiously as Lupin tried his best to undo Evan's handiwork over the hour. He sported dark shadows under his eyes and looked decidedly worst for wear, the look of someone who never got enough sleep.

Alas, Lupin's efforts proved futile but provided high entertainment as Potter grew more distressed upon each successive failure to restore his image and odor _._

 _"Ahhh! It burns! For the love of Merlin, it burns!"_

 _"Hold still–"_

 _"Ahhh!"_

Pettigrew Pettigrew and Frank Longbottom walked in, gagging and promptly walked out. Remus, after finally acknowledging defeat, climbed into bed and closed the curtains, deafening himself with a spell in a desperate attempt to sleep.

Black did his best to finish a Transfiguration essays but gave up when Potter attempted a rather clumsy spell resulting in a painful gash on his right cheek.

"Shouldn't someone take him to Hospital Wing?" Longbottom asked when Black failed to stem the bleeding.

Midori stretched and let out a yawn as Longbottom hurriedly dug out a first-aid kit.

At this rate she was never going to get her wand back. Maybe she'd steal it when they went to sleep. The idea seemed the most promising.

Lulled by the rain lashing the windows, drowning out the bellows of pain and outrage as booted feet stomped arounds she dreamed of revenge…

\\\

In the absolute darkness of the sixth year boy's dorm room in Gryffindor Tower, a naked girl crawled from beneath Sirius Black's bed and crept her way toward what she hoped was the correct pile of discarded robes.

Groping blindly through the pile, her hands searched with quiet desperation but a wand was nowhere to be felt.

Midori stifled a shriek when her mind registered belatedly what she was holding, not a damp robe but a pair of boxers.

She flung it without thinking, cheeks burning in the dark.

Sirius woke abruptly as something landed on his face.

Instinctively reaching for his wand he muttered, _"Lumos,"_ and sent the bright beam swinging around the room.

If it was Peeves he was going to send that poltergeist to the Bloody Baron. For some reason, the bloody nuisance had decided _he_ was the one responsible for their loss at the last Quiddich Game. It was ridiculous. The poltegist didn't even _belong_ to Gryffindor. And since when did Peeves root for a team?

His heart stopped dead in his chest at what he saw instead of Peeves.

A deliciously naked Midori Brooks scrambled in panic, flashing creamy skin and intriguing curves as she ran for the door.

Sirius reacted like any red-blooded man given the circumstances and leapt from bed, hell-bent to preventing her escape. His hands clamped down onto her shoulders just as she wretched the door open.

 _Soft_ _,_ he silently groaned, stroking the silken skin.

She stomped on his foot but he only tightened his hold.

"You must _really_ want to talk to me, huh?" He asked wryly, hissing as she stomped his foot.

Someone stirred sleepily in the background. "Iszat you, Padfoot?"

"Shit, he's a light sleeper. Come!"

Realizing she had no choice, Midori reluctantly allowed herself to be herded into the bathroom.

"What the bloody hell?" Sirius sighed as he cast a Silencing Charm around the room in haste. "What are you doing here, Midi?"

"Don't _touch_ me, you're naked. Do the spell again, your flick was wrong!"

Sirius suppressed the urge to point out she was in no condition to lecture him about nudity then realized she was shaking. Genuine fear pinched her features, her pupils swallowing the iris, pushing the blue into a thin rim.

Of course she was shaking, he thought darkly as his cock twitched. She was standing in a room with a man who she believed meant her harm, if not physically then the reputation she clearly valued.

Midori's eyes widened, mouth falling in outrage, kicking his shin. Sirius belatedly realized their close proximity meant that she'd _felt_ his reaction to her nearness.

He forced himself to relinquish his hold as she scuttled backwards but it was a small bathroom and mere feet separated them as she cowered against the sink.

"How the hell did you get in here?" Sirius asked, shaking his head. "Wait. No. Never mind. Were you really going to walk naked back to your House like that, kitten? The portraits might faint."

Her lips thinned. Endearments from Black were so... so...

"Put some pants on!"

She willed the fire to leave her face as Sirius wrapped a towel around his waist before he embarrassed them both further.

As he contemplated the dilemma on his hands she tried to conceal herself as best as she could and fight the tomato-hue taking over her face.

She was so screwed and not in the way her inner slut wanted her to be.

"What were you thinking, sneaking in here? You didn't think, did you? Obviously not," Black muttered, wrath and lust fighting for dominance as he leaned against the door, arms folded. "You couldn't have possibly thought you could break in here and just _steal_ the photos back... You did, didn't you? Merlin. Unbelievable. _"_

"You're unbelievable." Midori snapped. "Just give me back my wand and photos! I have class in the morning, it's a practical lesson!"

A part of Sirius still hoped he was having a very weird dream. If anyone discovered Midori's presence in his dorm they would both face expulsion.

Contrary to rumors he didn't sneak about the castle and slipping into girl's dorms at night. With the crushing amount of homework and the insane hours he logged for Quiddich practice, there was hardly enough room for sleep. Why the entire school believed he was some modern-day Lothario was a mystery. He hadn't slept with _that_ many girls and certainly never brought anyone back to his dorm! McGonagall was rather uptight when it came to morals.

Knowing Brooks she'd cry rape than admit any wrongdoing, Sirius realized, stifling a groan. And it wasn't like any sane teacher would believe a Prefect would break into Gryffindor Tower of all places.

With his less-than-pristine record and Midori's reputation as a good girl (at least where the teachers were considered, the student body had a vastly different opinion) he knew that even the wise and fair headmaster Dumbledore would be inclined to believe the devious witch instead of his innocence in this whole mess.

He couldn't afford to be expelled. Without magic he would barely survive on the streets, and his parents would insist on taking him back if only to kill him themselves. The Potters couldn't hide him from the Ministry or support him forever, and without credentials he couldn't even open a shop on Knockturn Alley.

"Give me my wand and photographs and I won't raise hell," Midori pelted something at his head.

Sirius swore as he dodged. "Not happening kitten. Besides I don't have it with me here. It's some place secure. Obviously you're a single child and not used to sharing. You think I'd stow things where Prongs could find them?"

She eyed him with patent disbelief, wondering who the hell was Prongs.

Sirius laughed without humor as she pelted another bar of soap at his head.

"Your wand and those photos aren't here and I'm not getting them at four in the bloody morning. Stay here, I'll find you a shirt."

Midori opened her mouth then snapped it shut, realizing she was so cold she stopped shaking.

When Black returned she wasn't proud enough to refuse his offer of clothing even if her skin tingled at the thought of wearing an article of his clothing.

Crawl, she corrected herself instantly. Her skin wasn't tingling, it was _crawling_ at the prospect of wearing Black's shirt.

Crossing her arms, Midori acknowledged she didn't loathe Black as much as she wanted to.

The crush she strangled to death years ago flared to life. Startling as the door opened, Black walked in, filling out his boxers wearing a smirk. Something scarlet and soft slapped her in the face.

His scent enveloped her, the crispness of winter, freshly cut pine, a hint of lemons and the essence of _him_. Her traitorous nipples strained beneath the oversized shirt.

"You look good in red," Sirius said mockingly as Midori hastily crossed her arms.

The bastard was marking her. He could've chosen a clean shirt but _no,_ it had to be his _used_ Quiddich shirt.

"Stop _staring_." Midori muttered, crossing her arms defensively. "Don't you have a clean shirt?"

"It _is_ clean. I pulled it on this morning for half a minute."

She broke into goose bumps.

Black's eyes were a little glazed, his voice was deeper, huskier than normal as he invited her back to bed.

She'd bet good money he wasn't quite in control of himself, glancing at his boxers. Yup. No mistaking his interest.

A part of her was genuinely impressed and she couldn't help feel flattered.

Black possessed a Quiddich player's body and the type of muscles that made smart girls _stupid._

Midori gritted her teeth, reminding herself he was blackmailing her. She needed her wand to lacerate the anatomy he was so proudly showing off. That would teach him a lesson not to mess with her.

"Like what you see?"

"Oh Merlin, _kill me_. I just want my wand back." She jerked her eyes back to his face.

"I'll give you _my_ wa– _"_

"No!" Midori snarled, stamping a foot, "I don't have the time or patience for your disgusting innuendos. Give me my wand!"

Not only did she feel as if she was missing a part of her but she had Double Charms in the morning. It was a practical lesson. She simply _needed_ her wand.

Sixth Years couldn't get away with the excuse they misplaced their wands anymore.

"What are you going to do without your wand, kitten?" Black taunted, crossing his arms.

Midori took a deep breath and gripped the hem of the over-sized shirt, wishing she could strangle him with fabric. "What do you want from me, Black? Seriously. My attention? You have it."

His eyebrows lifted as did the corners of his lips. "I have more than your attention Brooks, you're almost naked standing in my bathroom."

Midori resisted the urge to point out that she wasn't naked anymore and waited. Sooner or later she was getting her wand back and once she did Sirius Black was long overdue for a nasty, nasty hex.

They both froze as shuffling sounds penetrated into the room.

"Shit, someone's coming!" Sirius snarled, locking the door.

Midori's eyes grew wide and she glanced around the room, frantic. "Do something! Lock the door!"

"It would've been easier if you were in Ravenclaw. I could fly you there and sneak you through the windows," Sirius snarled, grabbing her arm. "How averse are you to diving into the Great Lake?"

He was crazy, and not in a haha-quirky way.

Midori stared at him, croaking, "I'll gouge your eyes out Black, don't even _think_ about it. There's no underwater entrances to the Slytherin Basements–"

"Actually, there are–"

A muffled "Padfood, who are you talking to? _Alohomora!_ " sounded through the door.

Sirius kicked it shut as it started to open. Someone hammered in evident frustration.

"Oi, let me in!"

"I'm busy Prongs, go back to sleep," Black snarled.

"Just give me my wand back and I'll get back to my House without your help." Midori whispered.

"Not a chance kitten."

"Padfoot I gotta take a leak!" Potter said, pounding harder. "Let me in, will you? Hurry up!"

Midori's eyes turned toward the window, causing Sirius to bark, "Are you suicidal? No way! We're too high up!"

"Get your broom!"

"It's under my bed!"

"Oh come on, I really gotta piss!" Potter started to kick at the door. "Hurry up!"

"Get into the shower." Black growled to Midori.

She gestured wildly at the stall. It was transparent for Merlin's sake!

Black dragged her over to the cramped little stall, shoving her flush against the tiles and caged her so no one could possibly see her behind his bulk.

Stripping off his boxers, he snarled, "Prong's not going to look at me if I'm naked, stop whining."

"I don't have shoes," Midori mumbled into his chest, shuddering to think of how often a shower shared by five males was cleaned on a routine basis.

Sirius let out a weary sigh. Never in his wildest kinky dreams or most bizarre nightmares would he have imagined a situation in which Midori Brooks was this close to him without rendering him bodily harm while he had a raging hard-on poking at her.

Too bad his best mate was screaming he had to piss and Midori would definitely scream rape if he tried anything.

"Can you… calm down?" Midori froze as the door slammed open.

"It's a penis. It won't bite," Sirius said.

She gave him an accusatory look. Surely she'd encountered a penis before. He had her number, or rather, he had her pictures, she clearly wasn't untouched.

"Padfoot?" A voice emerged clearly within the room. "What the hell are you doing in the shower at this time of the night and what is your penis biting?"

"Figured I'd get an early start. I skipped too many Potions lessons." Sirius called out as he turned on the spray overhead. "My penis is none of your business Prongs!"

Midori flinched as icy water blasted down and glared up at Black. When he made no attempt to adjust the temperature she reached for the dial only for a hand to clamp down on her wrist, cutting off circulation and all sensation but pain.

"It won't accept your touch," Sirius bent to hiss in her ear.

"W-what?"

"The dial is temperamental and won't register your touch. It doesn't like strangers touching it. Hell, Wormtail's been here six years and it still won't let him have a warm shower."

Midori shuddered as Sirius's warm breath trickled against her ear. _Then you turn it!_ She mouthed furiously.

 _What?_ Black nipped her lower lip.

She shuddered, lightening flashing through her blood. Momentarily drowning beneath lust, the flushing of the toilet snapped her from the spell.

 _Turn!_ Midori repeated, raking her nails into Black's chest. _I'm freezing, turn the dial!_

Merlin, Black was dumb!

She almost shrieked as he groaned, belatedly realizing he _liked_ her scratching.

"Padfood, what's going on mate?"

Sirius groaned again as Midori kicked at his shin. Bloody hell. "Fine, I'm doing it!" He hissed, forgetting to lower his voice. Merlin, her toes were sharp.

"We all use that shower, you better clean afterward, you manky bugger!" Potter bellowed.

"Finish pissing and go!" Sirius roared, causing Midori to start convulsing. It had predictable effects on his body and he shook his head painfully aroused and simultaneously annoyed.

Unbelievable. Un-freaking-believable.

After the door closed, Sirius let out a pent-up breath only to wince when Midori stomped on his foot.

"Tell him to wash his hands."

He stared down at her as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Midori repeated rather irately, "Tell him to wash his disgusting hands!"

Too weary to argue, Sirius bellowed, "Oi! Prongs, come back here"

"Fuck off mate!" Came the muffled reply.

"Now what?" Sirius sighed as Midori shoved at him, stumbling from the stall.

"Bollocks," he muttered while holding his own. The cold water had no effect on his body. He turned off the spray after several minutes and found Midori staring anxiously at the door.

She was vision to behold. Scarlet and gold molded to her rear, pert nipples compelling attention as she turned, wielding a toothbrush.

"Give me my wand." A deadly earnest Midori Brooks snarled. "Playtime's over."

"Bollocks," Sirius groaned when he saw her hand starting to swell.

Just his luck she'd picked up the cursed wand that he'd bought to play a joke on Wormtail.

Given the terse outline of her body and rigidity of her back, Midori had to be considerable pain.

"That's a fake wand, kitten. Let go. I can place a numbing spell on you," Sirius coaxed.

"Ow, damn, ow, why, _ow!_ " Midori shook her hand desperately in hopes of alleviating the burning agony consuming her hand. "Why the bloody hell do you have a _fake_ wand?"

It was a nightmare, a veritable nightmare and it was her fault.

Tasting blood as her teeth split her lip, she thought hysterically this was what happens when you leap without thinking as she recalled the sequence of the night's events leading up to her current predicament, calling herself ten kinds of fools, unable to believe that a simple attempt to bargain back her wand had turned out into standing before Sirius Black without pants and dying because her hand was on bloody _fire_.

After Black numbed her hand, he tucked her against his chest as she slammed her good fist into his gut.

"Bloody hell–"

"Aha!"

Midori shrieked as the door slammed open. A triumphant James Potter quickly averted his eyes.

"I knew you had someone in here with you but Brooks? I didn't see this coming."

"You still have Evan's clothes?" Black suddenly asked.

Why did Potter have Evan's clothes? Midori wondered, uneasy. Was he a cross-dresser or a stalker? Was he _that_ desperate to get Evan's attention or was it another prank?

"Be right back," Potter winked at Midori, returning with standard Gryffindor robes and lacy underwear.

"I'm not wearing another girl's underwear," Midori said, disgusted. Who knew Evan wore thongs and lace?"

"They're brand new. He was going to give it to her as a present." Sirius said dryly. "Prongs, get the fuck out, Miri has to change."

Potter, perhaps accustomed to being addressed as Prongs shrugged and left but not before winking at Midori.

Dressing in haste, not bothering to growl at Black to turn around, she reminded herself how she landed in this ridiculous mess in the first place.

"I _need_ my wand, Black." Midori snarled. "I have Charms in three hours."

"Give me a kiss," Sirius cocked his head.

"No." For _so_ many reasons.

"Just one, kitten. Come on, you know you want to."

"My wand, Black or I'll tell McGonagall–"

"There's a little something called Veritaserum." Sirius interrupted, nonchalant. "Speaking of blackmail, I must say I never expected you to be the type to whore for the camera. How flexible are you? My favorite position is one where –"

" I can kick you in the face." Midori hastily stepped back, mortified as she recalled some of the positions she'd posed in.

Potter burst through the door again, rife with urgency. "Moony's sick, Padfoot! We gotta get him to Hospital Wing now!"

"I'm not leaving without my wand," Midori announced tersely, wondering who was stuck with the nickname Moony.

Probably Longbottom, his face was the roundest.

As Black bolted from the bathroom door, she panicked, grabbing the back of his shirt.

"Wait! Black! A kiss!"

He turned and blinked as if he'd forgotten she was there. Maybe he'd taken too many bludgers to the head, she thought irately.

"I have a feeling you'll bite." Sirius murmured as Potter's stare bounced between them.

 _"You'll probably like it._ Your word, Black. My wand for a kiss."

"You'd trust my word?" Sirius asked, a hand flying over his heart. "Why, kitten –"

"Save it! Hurry up!"

"That impaitent, huh? I promise I won't bite. Much."

Midori rolled her eyes. "I share a House with Lucius Malfoy, Black. However charming you think you are, you're only a wannabe next to him."

"Has he made a move on you?" Sirius seized her. Although his voice was light, his eyes turned stormy, rain clouds waiting to break.

Midori shook her head impatiently. "You're not listening to me, Black. Stop flirting and give me my wand."

"Then come here and kiss me." Sirius lifted her clean off her feet.

"Can I suggest you brush your teeth?" Midori snarled, slapping palms against his chest.

"Hey lovebirds, get going!"

Before she could snarl at Potter, Sirius bent and kissed Midori on the nose. She reared back, butterflies exploding in her stomach and decided she had enough of this farce, turning to their rapt audience of one.

"Hey Pot – James, did you know Evans was in my Common Room the other day? You know Snape right? They seemed rather cosy."

James Potter was cocky and handsome but hardly dangerous until he transformed before her very eyes. Midori shrieked as Potter surged forward.

"Control your lunatic," Midori hissed at Sirius who did nothing to stop his best friend from shaking her teeth until it rattled. "Black, do something!"

"Hey mate, calm down." Sirius said lazily, plucking her from James's grip as she kicked out.

"Ouch woman, I'm helping you!"

Midori twisted from Black's grasp and raced out into the dorm, running into a shocked Remus Lupin in the process of guzzling down a goblet of a foul-smelling potion.

Sweat glued his shirt to his shaking body, running down his temples. Even in the gloom, his color was distinctly gray.

Midori made quick work of Sirius's sheets in search for her wand, her motions waking Longbottom and Pettigrew in the process.

"Uh... are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Pettigrew stammered while Longbottom muttered something about needing to get new glasses and Polyjuice Potions.

"For Merlin's sake, just give it to her, look at Moony!" Potter snarled, bracing Lupin. "Brooks, it's here!"

Midori turned and gave a small cry as Sirius snatched her wand from Potter, waving it like a cheap plastic toy.

"You... but..." She spluttered angrily. "You said it wasn't here!"

"I lied." He shrugged.

"Give me that!"

"A kiss first. Wormtail, stop drooling, her tits aren't that big. Come bear witness to a miracle."

Midori stalked forward, snarling. Black sidestepped the punch, laughing at her.

"I dodge bludgers for fun and sport, kitten, you have to do much better than that."

"Padfoot, why is Midori Brooks in our dorm?" Pettigrew asked from the sidelines.

"She's sexually frustrated, Wormtail. You know how desperate women get, breaking into my room."

"Remus." Midori said suddenly, turning to the boy dry-retching into his goblet. "I'll give you ten gallons if you disarm him and cure whatever ailment you're suffering."

"I'm sorry Midori." Lupin's voice emerged shaky. "Ten gallons isn't enough for me to betray a friend."

"Fifty galleons."

His IQ had to be lower than a troll's to turn down such an offer.

"I'm afraid Sirius is rather possessive." Remus smiled apologetically. "I'd rather not go back to Hospital Wing this month."

Had Lupin and Sirius gotten into a fight over a girl?

"Well?"

Midori jumped, slapping at Black's chest.

For someone his size he'd been awfully stealthy. Heart racing, she started up at him, she acknowledged she was human, woefully, pathetically human, weak and spineless.

"You're too tall to kiss." Midori blurted, instantly cringing. That had _not_ been what she meant to say. She wasn't thirteen and lovesick anymore. She was three years older but apparently none the wiser as Black recovered from shock quickly and backed her against the wall, bending so his nose leveled with hers. "Here I am," he said lightly, grazing her cheeks with calloused fingers.

Her nipples tightened to the point of pain while everything in her body melted but Midori Brooks was nothing if not a stickler for principles. She was _not_ going to kiss someone as vile as her blackmailer. She still had _some_ dignity left even as her lips parted of her own accord.

She slammed her forehead into Black's nose then yelped in pain as he gave a bellow. The man had a cast-iron cauldron for a head!

As Black seized her, Midori bellowed at Potter, "I'll fix your baldness if you get me my wand."

"Done!"

"Oi!" Black roared as his best friend disarmed him. "Bloody traitor!"

Midori grinned as Potter levitated Black to the ceiling and summoned her wand down.

She quickly reversed Evan's spells and twirled her wand, reveling the way it felt in her hands, too busy rejoicing until Potter disarmed her.

"You!" She spluttered, outraged. "You bastard!"

"You owe me a kiss," Black snarled as he hauled her into his arms, halting her attempt to tackle a laughing Potter.

Midori wished Black had been violent or sloppy, incompetent or even cruelty she could fight but the second his lips landed on hers, something in her brain switched off and her body turned traitor. His lips were soft but firm, the pressure he exerted tantalizing, his devious tongue tracing the seam of her lips, sending fire coursing through her blood. He coaxed her lips open then plundered, teased and tormented, and before she knew it she was kissing him enthusiastically as he was kissing her.

A flash went off. Then another. The disorientating flashes intruded upon their private heaven and slowly irritation replaced all-consuming lust. Horror crashed through delirium as Midori groggily registered James Potter holding a camera, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

She leaped for him, aiming to scratch out his eyes but was foiled by a a mighty force heaving her backward, lifting her through the air. Flailing, shrieking as pain impacted her stomach, Midori found herself hauled over Black's shoulder and carried like a sack of potatoes.

"Settle down kitten, you're going to wake the whole House. You'll get your wand at breakfast. Don't make me drop you, these stairs are tricky. Prongs, Wormtail, take Moony to Hospital." Black called over his shoulder.

"I'm fine, Padfood," were the last words Midori heard before the door slammed shut.

"What's wrong with him?" She twisted, trying to lever upright. "Put me down!"

"Food poisoning," Black replied. "He ate a steak tartare. Stop squirming, kitten, you have a very spankable ass."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Black set Midori on her feet once outside Gryffindor Tower and chuckled, "Your pout turns me on too," before dragging her toward the stairs.

He'd been frankly amazed he'd been such a gentleman, managing to resist the desire to grab that perky ass while she wriggled and hissed.

"I'm freezing." Midori gritted out as the portraits sighed as they passed. The Fat Lady herself, although grumpy to have been woken so early had swooned over the romanticism of an early morning walk when she'd let them out and it'd taken everything in her not to snap there was _nothing_ romantic about being kidnapped.

Her cheeks heated as a painting of an old baron, rather posh by the looks of him imparted wooing advice with ladies of _shrewish natures_ which Sirius heartily thanked him.

A slap landed across her rear, startling her into a yelp. If only she had her wand!

Midori found herself so mad she was spitting not unlike the kitten Sirius called her as more paintings commented on how wonderful young love was.

"Where the bloody hell are you going? I'm _freezing!_ "

"Let's get you sweating," Black smirked. "Ready?"

Midori soon discovered the morning chill and the paintings were the least of her problems. Sirius Black seemed to get off taunting death. Instead of stopping when there were no more steps to go on, he simply leaped through the air while staircases moved, dragging her along with him despite her screams she was having a heart attack.

Breathless, nauseated, Midori wondered if she woke the castle with her screams by the time they finally reached Great Hall.

Once inside she collapsed onto the nearest table which happened to be the one located to Gryffindor. Crimson gold streaked through the enchanted black sky above. Plates were already laid out for service but that was at least another hour away.

Hungry and cold, pride warred with self-preservation instincts as Midori shivered and glowered while Sirius seemed content to ignore her, respecting her personal space when she least wanted it.

"I'm _cold,_ you miserable sod," she finally admitted and he made a great show of sliding over and hugging her shoulders. "Better?"

"Tosser," Midori bit out as she soaked up his warmth and crawled into his lap. "Don't get ideas."

"Don't pout, I told you what it does to me."

"I hope you have a stoke from all the lack of blood to your head," Midori muttered, wincing as he clamped down on her hips and told her not to squirm. She wriggled out of spite and he groaned, threatening to spank her.

"So what exactly are we doing here instead of finding a House Elf and asking for some food?" Midori demanded.

"You need a House Elf to get food? Cute." Sirius chuckled, breath caressing her ear. "I have to show you the Kitchens sometime but here, watch this."

He picked up a fork and began tapping on a goblet, whistling just to irritate her. Seconds after the grating clanging stopped a delicious plate of pancakes oozing maple syrup appeared on Black's previously empty plate. Similar treatment to a goblet filled with hot chocolate.

Midori inhaled deeply, stomach rumbling.

"You're the type whose too civilized to bang on cups aren't you?" Sirius remarked as she snagged his drink.

After he'd summoned food onto her plate, fluffy scrambled eggs accompanied glistening strips of bacon over brioche toast and a compote of fresh fruit, he began to eat and Midori hastily leapt off his lap, afraid of debris as it flew everywhere.

He was a disgusting eater, a hungry junk dog working a dog.

"A thank-you wouldn't be amiss here kitten." Black said through a mouthful.

Atrocious, Midori shuddered. Perhaps he developed appalling manners just to spite his mother. Walburga Black had sent so many howlers after learning news Sirius had been sorted to Gryffindor, she was banned from sending mail via owl.

Midori speared a strawberry and flung it at his head when Black tried to feed her. It missed as leaned back and sat back up with a crunch of rather impressive abs, reminding her dryly Beaters had fast reflexes.

"You tried out for the Slytherin team, if I recall. You were pretty good," Sirius cocked his head, "Why didn't you take the position?"

Midori's heart stopped. "I… I changed my mind."

"Your parents disapprove of their perfect little princess getting sweaty and bruised?"

"Shut up. Just because you live to piss off your parents doesn't mean I have to do the same."

His expression darkened.

A hostile silence strained between them until Black opened his big fat gob and made things worse by criticizing her eating habits.

"You're too skinny you know. Carbs would be good for you and give you a better chest."

Midori rolled her eyes and wished his words didn't get to her as much as they did. "You're not my type either, fatty."

"Don't lie kitten, you're not very good at it. I saw you looking at me earlier. You were impressed. I bet you were a little wet too."

The food was too good to waste upending it over his head so she dug in and did her best to ignore him while he polished off his plate and began banging at the cups and plates again.

How much did one person need to eat? Sure, he was an athlete and his ridiculously unnecessary height of six-four ensured he needed plenty of calories but Quiddich wasn't that demanding a sport, the players sat on broomsticks, it's not as if they ran all over a pitch like players in Muggle sports exerting themselves.

Slowly but surely a trickle of students filed into the Great Hall. None seemed to know about the banging-on-things-until-food-appeared trick. Midori endured envious stares in her direction until at quarter to seven, food appeared on all four tables and coincidentally refilled Sirius's almost empty plate once more.

"I need to get back to my table," Midori said when the first Slytherin made an appearance.

Naturally it was Snape. He shot her a look as Black pulled on her arm and calmly reminded her she was wandless. The situation wasn't changing until his say so and she heeded the warning, crashing back into her seat.

"I don't have enough energy to hate you but I'd sell you to a Dementor for a knut." Midori muttered as Black caressed her knee, eliciting shivers. "Stop groping me."

"At least they know how to kiss. You need practice, kitten."

She itched to slap him, saved from temptation when Potter arrived on the heels of Lily Evans and her gang.

Midori felt mild disappointment Potter was normal looking again and couldn't be ridiculed by the entire school.

"I can't believe you civil she is," Potter smirked at Black. .

"Unlike the screaming displays you like to exchange with a certain redhead?"

Midori eyed Evans thoughtfully as Sirius dropped an arm over her shoulder. "Be nice to her, Prongs."

As more bodies flooded the Great Hall, Midori inched from Black.

But for Snape's nose buried in porridge, the Slytherin table remained thankfully empty. Everyone else was too groggy to do anything but focus on not missing their mouths with their forks.

Slamming a fist into Black's side, Midori was gratified by his grunt as she eased from the bench.

"Are punches the vogue form of affection now?" Potter asked, snickering.

"Yup. Clearly Evan loves you," Black retorted.

"Potter," Midori interrupted, deciding needed to leave before the duo regressed to bickering toddlers. "If you give me my wand back I promise not to hex you." For today anyway.

"Not a chance, Brooks."

Midori ducked behind Sirius's massive frame to hide from her fellow Slytherins when they finally showed up.

"You gave me your word," she reminded him tersely. "You sand I'll have my wand back at breakfast."

Stupid of her but she thought he, unlike the Blacks in her House possessed a shred of actual honor.

Sirius stopped eating long enough to look at her, contemplative.

"I said I'll give it to you at breakfast. I didn't specify whose." Nodding at the teacher's table as Professor Sprouts lead the charge, Black said, "You'll get your wand back when I can ensure the safety of my future children."

He was a cunning son of a bitch and a part of her admired him for it. Midori ducked behind a crowd of third years filing past and rushed out the Great Hall.

By the time she returned freshly showered and awakened by coffee, there was with no damning evidence of her traumatic night.

Snape sat hunched at the end of the table surrounded by books, an outcast as if diseased given the way some of her fellow Housemates avoided him. Midori decided that aligning herself with Snape might just get Sirius off her back and headed toward him.

She made the mistake of looking toward the Gryffindor table. Gray eyes seized her from across the room and the breath in her lungs condensed into ice.

Black's hatred for Snape didn't make sense.

"Something wrong?" Crabbe asked as Midori's knee slammed into a bench.

"Just wondering when our Transfiguration essay was due," she lied.

Crabbe paled and ran as if the cankerous caretaker in residence Filch was en route to confront him about kicking Mrs. Norris again.

"What did you say to him?" Malfoy asked, lazily snagging her arm.

"Let go!"

She was sick of being manhandled and the last thing she wanted was for Narcissa Black to think her boyfriend was being stolen, not that any sane witch would ever date a man who treated House Elves the way Malfoy did .

"Come on Miri, we're friends aren't we?"

Midori eyed Malfoy coldly, wishing she could curse him with an odor fouler than anything Evans could come up with but alas she needed a wand.

He didn't used to be a prat. Then he hit puberty and voila, instant asshole. It had to be a male thing. Sirius Black underwent a similar transformation.

" You need to take another Dedelusion Decoction, Malfoy."

His grip didn't relent. Now more than ever she wished she had her wand.

"Ten gallons on Malfoy," Midori heard someone mutter.

"Oi! Princess Lucy!"

Midori's blood chilled as Malfoy released her, reaching for his wand while his cronies guffawed.

Scrambling to intercept, Midori slapped her hands on Black's chest, snarling, "You should pick on someone your own size."

He looked murderous, glowering down, wand gripped in hand. "Don't defend him, kitten and move out of my way."

"I'm not, I'm trying to help _–_ you're outnumbered!"

From her peripheral vision Midori saw teachers racing toward them and prayed Black would stay rational enough for one to reach them and diffuse the scene.

"Sirius," she began then yelped as Malfoy took Black's distraction to launch a spell.

A loud explosion shattered her eardrum and Midori whimpered, clutching her ears as she hit the ground, disorientated, horror penetrating shock as she watched Sirius flying backwards through the air only for him to twist and launch a spell mid-air before landing on his back and rolling upright, shaking his head like a dog.

Potter skid into view, glasses askew, having had thrown his own spell while Black was mid-air. The dual assault from Black and Potter's wands streaked toward Malfoy from different directions. He couldn't defend himself, knocked unconscious as one of the spells bypassed his Shield Charm and slammed into his temple.

"Black," Midori hissed, crawling toward him as screams filled the air. "My wand!"

He gave a careless shrug and winked at her. "What's that Brooks?"

"Give me my wand!"

"Sure thing. Catch."

Her wand sailed up, arcing into a parabolic trajectory. Midori snatched it mid-air, fingers tingling, barely able to process she was holding her wand again, failing to notice McGonagall descending like an avenging Valkyrie.

Face white, nostrils flaring, the Transfiguration teacher looked as if she'd run a marathon.

"Miss Brooks!" She leveled a stare at Midori, "I did not expect you to be involved in something like this. Explain yourself! _"_

"I wasn't involved!" Midori protested instantly, alarmed at the mere thought of detention. She was a Prefect damn it! "I had nothing to do with this, Professor!"

She was only guilty by being in close proximity to Black! Belatedly, Midori realized her wand was out. To an ordinary bystander, she looked as if she had participated in the duel.

Glaring at Black, she hissed, "Tell her!" only to realize her error.

With a shit-eating grin, Black drawled, "Leave Brooks out of this, Minnie, she can't even cast a spell worth a damn, although her attempt to help was rather heartwarming."

Those words cemented Midori's fate.

A thin-lipped McGonagall, utterly deaf to Midori's pleas issued them both detention on the spot and informed her she was lucky enough to get away with only one. The Gryffindor Head warned her Prefect status was in jeopardy as Slughorn arrived, heaving and red-faced, a stretcher floating behind him.

"Midori will report to me for detention tonight, Horace." McGonagall said before stalking away. "Mr Potter, where do you think you're going?"

Slughorn did a double-take as he stared at Midori before his graze drifted to the unconcious Malfoy attended by Flitwork and Sprout.

Midori's hands shook as she itched to curse Black into oblivion, glaring at his retreating back.

Of course detention didn't phase _him_ , he competed with Potter to see who could wrack up the most punishments. How he managed to maintain an active sex life, good grades and attend Quiddich practise was beyond her.

The bells toiled and only Malfoy's most loyal minions stayed behind while he was loaded onto the stretcher.

"I'll see you when our date begins tonight kitten," Black called through the Great Hall before sauntering out.

Horror bleached Midori's expression.

She trudged toward Charms, overwhelmed as her fellow Housemates rushed her, demanding to know what was going on (a duel happened, didn't they have eyes?), whether she and Black had a _thing_ (vehement denial only convinced them otherwise), did she really have detention (unfortunately, yes), and what was Black on about regarding their date (she repeated the word _detention_ until she felt the need to scream it but for some reason no one seemed to understand her sharing detention with Black was not so much a romantic rendezvous as it was a punishment unfairly assigned by McGonagall). She couldn't complete detention without being in close proximity with Black but simply sharing space and time with the idiot did not constitute a date!

Altogether, Midori had a terrible morning. By noon, a rumor started that Black and Malfoy had been competition for her affections and just her luck Flitwick paired her with Narcissa during Double Charms. Last she checked the Killing Curse was illegal but Flitwick had been on the other side of the room and his poor hearing and distracted attention resulted in Narcissa almost getting away with murder.

Sweaty and shaken from the ordeal Midori waited until the class emptied, pretending to consult Flitwork on a Growth Charm just to prevent any curses aimed her back when she least expected it.

Narcissa was deranged. Midori almost feared for the girl's mental health. She wasn't right in the head.

Since Flitwork tended to get carried away, a tedious explanation of the Growth Charm replete with ample demonstration made Midori late for Potions. As if being late wasn't bad enough she had to endure Slughorn's disappointed glances while being stuck with the leftover ingredients to start her Vysten Balm.

By the time the lesson ended, everyone was convinced she was a homewrecker (as if anyone would _want_ Malfoy for a boyfriend or risk Narcissa's demented wrath to attempt to steal any man she claimed as hers) or screwing Black six ways to Sunday and conniving to marry him (in _what_ world and _why_ did no one realize Black would make a _terrible_ husband?)

Unfortunately it was her word against Narcissa's. Apparently, "He's my cousin. We don't get along but he's still my cousin. I know his slut of the month and he confides to me sometimes because he needs help getting rid of the clingers," made a really compelling argument. Blood was thicker than water and all that.

Midori had always regarded Bellatrix as the biggest threat in the House but Narcissa was proving as big a pain in the ass as her sister. Merlin knew how Andromeda Black, the oldest Black sister and another defect to Gryffindor had survived through childhood without both eyeballs intact. Narcissa seemed the type to slit someone's throat in their sleep for borrowing a pair of shoes without permission.

At least people gave her a wide berth, wider than before, Midori stomped toward the grounds. Solitude was the only silver lining to her otherwise craptastic parade of eternal rain. By mid-afternoon her reputation transformed from a-bitch-to-avoid-at-all-costs to the traitor-slut-who-only-got-EEs-in-Potions-because-she-needs-to-make-potions-to-counter-STDs-all-the-time.

To rub salt in the wound, her Vysten Balm wasn't even pronounced the best. Slughorn merely proclaimed it adequate, no doubt irritated about losing face that one of his students had done something as lowly as participating in a brawl and being caught by the head of another House no less.

By lunch time, Midori felt ill just thinking about food, and the hundreds of judgmental faces in the Great Hall.

Her feet led her outside and into a Greenhouse to seek shelter from the cold. Professor Sprout awarded her fifty points for coaxing a Follywhip vine to give up two precious seedpods.

It was a short walk to for Care of Magical Creatures after lunch.

Shivering with cold and wondering why anyone would teach a class outside in winter when there were more than enough room in the dungeons available, Midori was horrified to learn that the practical lesson consisted of locating Jwkuffers, creatures roughly the size of snowballs that blended perfectly into the pristine white landscape.

"Don't forget your gloves," Kettleburn reminded them before the lesson commenced.

Gloves couldn't differentiate the texture between snow and a Jwkuffer's fur.

Midori's icy fingers protested as she searched in vain for the little creatures. Temper frayed as everyone else was awarded points for cheating, she blasted fire into her assigned area and two Jwkuffers with minor injuries emerged dazed before her, squealing as she tackled them.

Kettleburn raced toward her. "Are you hurt, dear? What happened?"

Since Jwkuffers had notoriously sticky fingers, Midori lied, "I had some fire beads in my pockets. I guess they figured out how the beads work."

"Ah. I see. No harm done but please remember they are excellent pickpockets and empty your pockets before class next time. Take ten points for Slytherin and come warm up with some Butterbeer."

As luck would have it she slammed into Sirius Black on her way to Transfiguration, a class she definitely did not want to be late for.

"You look cold kitten," Black said, seizing her.

"What do you want?" Midori groaned, resisting the urge to bury her nose into his chest as he pulled her into a hug. She was _that_ cold. So cold there was no dignity left and she was entering the realm of delusion, sheltering against the elements in the arms of her blackmailer.

"You owe me a kiss."

Outraged at his arrogance, Midori spluttered a refusal, stalled when he cast a Hot-Air Charm over her, a moan escaping her lips. He chuckled, kissing her so quickly she couldn't retreat and left her staring after her, wondering if her brain was still solid or if it was leaking out of her ears.

"Miss Brooks?"

Midori jumped, turning to find Professor Dumbledore stepping out from behind a statue. How long had he been standing there staring into thin air with her mouth open?

Idiot. She really was an idiot.

"S-sir?" Midori coughed as Dumbledore prompted her name.

"Is there something wrong?" Electric blue eyes probed her. "Has Professor Kettleburn's class given you frostbite?"

The urge to confide she was being blackmailed rose and died a swift death. She would deal with her problem on her own, thank you very much. Only cowards brought a third-party to the fight and Black wasn't someone she couldn't handle alone. Loathe as she was to admit it, she liked their twisted cat-and-mouse game. She wanted to beat him, not tap out and cry to someone to make her problems go away. He'd never intended her harm, not like Bellatrix.

In raising the alarm, Dumbledore only would inform her parents of the attempted blackmail. Doing so would circulate the news of her photographs around the school, something she hoped to avoid in the first place.

"No, I'm fine. Good day professor," Midori said hastily, rushing for class.

Her mind drifted to Black despite her best to banish him throughout the hour. Midori startled as her name floated over the din, "Miss Brooks!"

She wiped her expression, apprehension clamping her chest as McGonagall weaved her way through the desks.

"Do you have trouble transforming your marshmallow or are you mistaken about our lesson objectives?"

"Sorry professor," Midori said, flushing as eyes drilled into her head all around the room.

Steel anchors, some rusty, some dented, and one bright purple floated around the room. She however had leather linchpin the size of a cushion hovering over her desk.

Concentrating on a little fluffy pink morsel McGonagall set before her, Midori began to weave her spell.

To force something small and soft to take on characteristics of hardness and increased size was incredibly difficult. She managed to steady her hand after two aborted attempts, lacing an intricate pattern through the air before uttering,

 _"Aciperre Recencere!"_

Her marshmallow expanded at an alarming rate, twisting, taking on the shape of an anchor, new and shiny. Relief coursed through her veins as Midori braved a look at McGonagall's face.

"Improvements can be made "Perhaps next time you'll spend less time daydreaming and more time practicing. Stiffen your wrists and let the motion whip like _thus_. You want your anchor to be as strong and sturdy as possible and both wand movements and incantation is how you impart those qualities."

Midori nodded, cheeks flushing.

She'd always been a good student, not as dedicated like some fanatic Ravenclaws or the walking encyclopedia that was Lily Evans but she'd never had a teacher focus on her like she was a screw-up, never been subjected to such scrutiny as if _she_ was the lacking pupil.

Sirius Black had turned her life upside down. Not only that he had the nerve to extort her, he _kissed_ her.

And Merlin, what a kiss.

Some rumors weren't mere gossip and some stories weren't exaggerations. Sirius Black, the scum-sucking toad-head could kiss, and it was wrecking havoc with her concentration.

Sixteen marshmallows, a broken desk and throbbing toes later, Midori hobbled out of class.

Her last class of the day, Defense Against the Dark Arts went spectacularly badly.

The Slytherins were grouped with the Gryffindors. Snape seemed particularly antsy about Lupin's absence, harping about the current phase of the moon even though the lunar cycle didn't impact the day's lesson.

Potter and Black stared daggers at Snape from across the room as Professor Ingleberry commenced the lesson.

A flurry of motion ensued when he declared everyone to partner up.

To Midori's shock, Potter bolted across the room, toppling desks to seize her arm, proclaiming himself her partner, leaving Black with Pettigrew and everyone in the room looking quite astonished.

"What's the matter with you?" Midori demanded as Potter bullied her into a corner.

"Just wanted to test your mettle – _Alarte Ascendare_ _!"_

Potter continued commandeering her after class, gripping her arm and refusing to let go despite her demands for release.

More than a few dozen curious eyes followed them through the halls as Midori debated whether to publicly curse Potter and damn the consequences.

Too many witnesses, she sighed as they passed the Ravenclaw Head Boy.

One detention on her record was a blemish but two would definitely strip her Prefect badge.

It wasn't until Lily Evans accidentally-on-purpose slammed into them down the stairs that Midori had an epiphany.

Oh Merlin, she thought with hidden amusement. She'd seen _that_ particular look on a woman's face more than enough times to know she was currently the subject of very ill wishes. So Potter's crush wasn't unrequited… interesting…

Lily Evans usually carried on as if she was a closet lesbian.

"You know, I've always had a thing for Seekers," Midori declared in a sultry voice. Leaning into Potter she made a show of feeling up rather firm biceps, biting her cheek to stop laughing as alarm flashed through Evan's face.

"Now you know what it's like being held against your will," Midori informed Potter silkily as he blanched, blurting, "It was Padfoot's idea, Malfoy was going to–"

"I have a thing for Seekers." Midori fanned her fingers over Potter's chest, "They're so... _impressive."_

"Potter!"

Midori bit back a laugh as she whirled. Verdant eyes narrowed into slits. Evans was practically stomping, outpacing her friends in haste to reach them.

"Uh, Brooks..." Potter wheezed, "What are you doing?"

"I love how you say my name." Midori purred, ducking her head to conceal a smirk as a strangled sound exploded through the air.

"In fact…" Midori continued, caressing Potter's chest. "I have something to confess James. You see, I've always had a crush on you but–"

Evans appeared suddenly and seized Potter's arm.

"Potter! A word! Sorry Brooks, I'll have him back to you in no time at all."

"He's a little bit busy at the moment as you can see," Midori taunted.

It was comical, playing tug of war with Lily Evans.

Potter, gentleman that he was didn't quite shove Midori aside although he did try to disengage from her grasp.

He was so pathetic, Midori repressed a sigh, and Evans was so dog-in-the-mangerish.

What a lovesick little puppy he was, and what a lovely shade of green she was turning.

Taking pity on them, Midori gave Potter's chest one last lingering pat, grinning as she watched Lily drag him in the opposite direction as fast she could.

Drama. So much drama there should be a class to teach the students how to make a career out of it.

Congratulating herself as Midori practically skipped toward Basements, she skidded to a stop when Black appeared from nowhere, pulling her into an empty classroom.

Voice deceptively soft, he queried, "You don't have a thing for Seekers, do you?"

Midori wet her lips and watched his pupils flare.

Her parents had always warned her not to play with fire but playing with fire was harmless as long as one remembered to cast a fire-freezing charm to ensure the fire did nothing but tickle upon contact.

"Well..." She began as Sirius pinned her against the wall.

A little voice inside her head said this wasn't wise but Midori simply couldn't help herself.

"I definitely have a major thing for Seekers," she murmured, watching gray eyes catch fire.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Minx, Sirius Black thought, amazed at the toxic emotions churning in his gut. Midori Brooks was a minx of the worst kind, and if he were a smarter man he'd stay the hell away from her. Unfortunately he wasn't smart when it came to blue-eyed angels.

When he first spotted Midori caressing his best mate like a damn Quiddich groupie announcing she had a thing for Seekers, he had an epiphany. Whether he was ready or not, it was time to make a decision on commitment; either pursue the girl and chain her up forever or quit persuit.

Sirius Black was not a quitter. And thus his decision was made.

He was not giving up on winning over a certain Slytherin minx hellbent on challenging him at every turn and fired his blood.

Those sweet lips were curved into a smirk as those incredible blue eyes watched him, gleaming with amusement.

"Have I mentioned I'm rather possessive?" Sirius snarled, dragging the infuriating girl he knew better than to lust after back toward the Great Hall.

"Have I mentioned I'm not yours?" Midori snapped, distracted as she spotted Evans desperately trying to engage Potter, an idiotic male who had no idea that he was being flirted with.

Midori resisted the urge to fling a goblet at Potter's head. How could someone that cute be so dense?

As curious eyes watched them, Midori wished Black a sudden bout of pimples and halitosis. The bastard was doing horrific damage to her reputation, one she hadn't truly earned but Bellatrix Black had taken it upon herself to play PR over the years. If there was one thing Bellatrix was good at it was scaring people. Midori didn't think she was _that_ intimidating. Perhaps some people just didn't know how to deal with hexes. They really needed to study harder and brush up on their wand work. But alas, she liked being left alone, and Black was ruining everything.

"I know what you did," he said, tapping her nose. Midori stared at him. "I figured it out."

"I know I shouldn't but I'm going to ask you to elaborate."

"You, little sex kitten, were playing matchmaker earlier. And trying to gain my attention, enticing me to chase."

She snorted and informed Black kindly he was overdue for a psych eval in Hospital Wing. He sighed, a long suffering sound.

"Admit it, you want me."

She rolled her eyes, inwardly perturbed by his insight.

Fine. So she played matchmaker. She hadn't done it willingly but there was a part of her that remained a hopeless romantic, deaf, dumb and shockingly defiant even as the strong independent woman inside her railed she needed no man, that love was but a chemical reaction rather like a disease rending its sufferer completely neurotic.

That stupid hopeless romantic in her was a bloody nightmare, always showing up unexpectedly and waving her invisible wand and throwing glitter everywhere hoping two people who thought each other cute but didn't have the guts to speak up… well, her hopeless romantic fairy just tried to help, Midori drew a shaky breath.

She wasn't a bad person really. Just because she was in Slytherin didn't mean she didn't have a _heart_.

"You owe me a kiss," Sirius said conversationally as he began pulling out parchment and assorted pasteries. "You skipped dinner."

"I'm not hungry. And I ate."

"I didn't see you, it didn't count. Come on," Sirius coaxed, "I'll give you one photo."

"Ten," Midori immediately countered.

"Two. Eat this."

Midori snapped at his fingers, chewing resentfully. Was he feeding her or did he have an army in mind? Who walked around carrying _that_ much food in their bags?

"Eat." Sirius repeated sternly after Midori finished off the pastry. "One pastry won't sustain you."

Midori's independent woman reared her head as she snapped, "I'm not yours, I'm not a pet, and I'm not to be commanded by the likes of you."

The hopeless romantic chose that moment to speak up and insist that Black was being thoughtful and kind, looking out for her welfare.

"Hiss all you want kitten, just eat your food." His lips quirked. "We'll discuss the date and location for the return of two photos later. You can't fight me when you're skin and bones."

Her strong independent woman strangled the hopeless romantic fool as Midori took a deep breath.

Black was a controlling and insulting asshole, not someone looking out for her welfare. He was a blackmailer, damn it. Who was messing with her memory she'd forgotten that crucial fact? Which House Elves were drugging her food?

"You know what I'm going to do if you don't eat and keep playing with your food?"

Midori let out a pent-up breath before turning to Potter. He looked rather glum, watching Evans down the table.

After ensuring she had Evan's attention, Midori reached over and plucked Cauldron Cake from Potter's hand and chewed with relish.

Evan looked as if someone punched her in the stomach.

"Mm, delicious," Midori murmured, aware how well her voice carried down the table.

"B-brooks?" Potter demanded while a growl sounded behind her. Was there a stray wolf that'd wandered into the Halls?

She leaned toward Potter, nuzzling his throat. "Play along, your girlfriend's watching."

She had to give him credit, unlike most of the male population he didn't take her up on her offer. Instead he leapt back as if she'd announced she had something contagious and despite Midori's explicit warning not to look in Evan's direction he did exactly that.

A gleam entered verdant green eyes, not of triumph but of panic as Potter pointed a finger, accusatory. "You're crazy!"

"And you're a coward," Midori replied flirtatously.

The bench shook as Potter pushed to his feet. "What did you call me?"

"Coward. If you'd just flirted with me a bit, Evans would be all over you this time next week."

Potter didn't look inclined to believe her. He didn't look as if he had a clue what she was talking about and seemed to have no inkling she'd done her best to help him earlier.

Eyes narrowed in suspicion, he demanded, "What are you plotting you devious little –"

"Your happily ever after of course." Midori drawled, trailing a finger over his jaw. "Oh look, here comes the wicked witch. Looks like my plan worked after all. Thank me by killing Black will you?"

Sirius watched the entire exchange and shook his head. The girl was a bloody contradiction, sweet and venomous like poisoned chocolate. After observing Prongs fluster and fail spectacularly with Evans, initial jealousy died, amusement flaring as he watched Midori faux-seduce Prongs then return to nibbling her late dinner as if she hadn't just given Evans a mini-heart attack while Prongs all but ran from the girl of _his_ dreams.

Sirius marvelled as Midori Brooks picked apart her Treacle Tart with the fastidiousness of someone who was either on a self-imposed diet with extraordinary willpower or the actions of a girl who had a serious problem with food. She needed a damn keeper and someone to law down the law. She still wasn't eating, merely nibbling. His eyes narrowed.

"Do you not like food or are you appalled at the meal because it doesn't meet your standards?" Sirius demanded, and found himself receiving an icy stare.

"I'm afraid I don't trust you not to drug or poison my food, Black."

"Here, have mine," Sirius said, wedging a half-eaten chocolate bar against Midori's lips, chiding, "You know how this works kitten, open your mouth."

Blood drained from her face as derisive laughter announced the arrival of Bellatrix Black. "Well this is something I'd never expected. How sweet."

"What do you want Bella?" Sirius asked, withdrawing his wand so fast Midori was left staring at a chocolate bar on her lap.

"Brooks, I need to talk to you. Walk with me." The hardness in the Bellatrix's voice gave Midori pause and no small amount of trepidation.

"I'm a bit busy as you can see," Midori gestured toward Sirius, shifting to place her body between the two Blacks in a manner that caused her to almost sit in Sirius's lap.

Discreetly withdrawing her own wand as the cousins stared down one another, Midori cleared her throat.

"State what you want and leave, Bella."

The girl's eyes flashed with undisguised loathing. "You two deserve each other!"

"Leave." Midori said firmly, "Or I'll issue you detention."

"Ooooh, I'm scared." Bellatrix's burst of derisive laughter not quite dissimilar to a mad cackle sent chills down Midori's spine.

There were too many spectators and teachers nearby for her to attack. "See you around the Common Room, Brooks." With that parting threat Bellatrix sashayed back to the Slytherin table where Midori knew she would never be welcome to sit again.

She wasn't a girl moved to great emotion but she _really_ detested Bellatrix. There was something not quite right about the witch, something off about her, not broken but just off.

Sirius had pulled her against his chest before Midori could escaped and asked quietly, "You wanna sleep over? She doesn't bluff."

"I know." Midori slid sideways, "I can handle her."

"And her cronies?"

Midori forced a breezy smile. "You haven't seen me duel, Black." Inwardly, she fretted, contemplating sleeping in the Ravenclaw Tower. There was no password required to gain entrance, only riddles that anyone with half a brain could decode, and Flitwick's vision was so poor he would hardly notice her after she placed a Colour Charm over her robes so they resembled the blue-and-bronze ensemble of his House. Maybe she could take up residence in one of the unused dungeons of the castle, or a small attic in one of the towers not unlike the ones used as Divination classrooms. Trelawney certainly enjoyed living up in the clouds and the privacy was second to none.

"She'll graduate this year, we'll be safe soon enough," Sirius attempted to reassure Midori, shoving a Custard Puff into her mouth.

She promptly choked. He responded by slamming a hearty series of slaps on her back, causing her spine to vibrate with shock and driving her entire body into the table before them.

"Padfoot, mate, that's not how you seduce a girl," Potter said, sounding amused.

Midori seized a napkin and spat into it, aiming a fist at Black's chest.

"Stop putting things in my mouth!"

"You like it," Black said as masculine sniggers expoded from the table.

"Pervert." A female spoke, and Midori glanced up to find Andromeda Black accompanied by Alice Merryweather, Frank Longbottom's girlfriend.

Like her cousin, Andromeda was _persona non grata_ to Pureblood society, disowned by the Black family for not only being sorted into Gryffindor but for their sympathetic views on Muggeborn witches and wizards.

"Andy!" Affection warmed Sirius's voice.

"I need to steal James for a second." Andromeda sighed. "Order business."

"Don't do anything I wouldn't," Sirius said and Andromeda hooted. "Ha!"

"I'm leaving before another Black shows up," Midori said uneasily, glancing around the room only to realize she couldn't see Narcissa's distinctive shade of blonde.

Sirius snorted, clamping onto her arm. "You're not done, you haven't eaten enough to satisfy a kitten so stay put. We still haven't had our discussion either babe. You don't want to miss that."

"Let's go for a walk and discuss," Midori glowered, reminding herself that while time in Black's company wasn't as unpleasant as she'd expected, he was still the man who was attempting to blackmail her although what he wanted she didn't quite know, ignoring the little voice inside her head that said she knew exactly what he wanted and she didn't _really_ mind.

Sleep deprivation really did kill neurons.

"Eat first, talk later." Sirius ordered.

"I'll throw up on you," Midori warned when Black tried to coax her into sampling Mega Macaroon.

After Midori choked down a chocolat au pain and two apple danishes she'd finally managed to drag Sirius from the never-ending feast in his bag out the door. There was no time to hold their vitally crucial discussion when Potter called after them they had to report to detention.

"Stop pouting kitten, you're making me hard again," Sirius grunted as they arrived on the fifth floor. "I don't want to walk into McGonagall's office like this."

Midori affected a deeply disgusted look, cheeks burning.

Without bothering to knock Sirius stormed inside the Gryffindor Head's office, leaving a shell-shocked Midori to scramble after him as McGonagall's displeasure filled the room.

"You're late. Sit."

Fixing her beady eyes upon them, the stern professor began to list the details of their punishment, innocuous sounding at first until true comprehension dawned.

"There must be _hundreds_ of cats," Black protested. His chair scrapped back and cluttered with a dull thud as he leapt toward the professor's desk. Slamming his hands onto the desk he snarled, "There's no way we can manage to find every one of them and finish neutering them by sunrise!"

"Luck's on your side, Mr. Black. Tomorrow is Saturday. You two have the entire weekend to ensure our resident felines aren't responsible for a population crisis."

Midori remained silent, nodding when McGonagall asked if she understood her punishment.

"You'll both head back to bed by half past ten and resume neutering the cats tomorrow morning. Miss Brooks, your punishment will overlap with your Prefect duties. I'll be checking to see if you two are doing your jobs so don't slack off. You're free to go."

Bidding the professor a quiet goodbye, Midori fumed as she stalked out the office hot on Black's heels.

"I'm sorry kitten," he sighed, sounding anything but. In fact he seemed damned cheerful and Midori was sorely tempted to wipe his smile off his face with a Disillusionment Charm.

 _"Zygotis Eliminae,"_ Midori snarled, stabbing her wand with restrained violence as she sent a neutering spell at the first furry creature they encountered.

The spell hit the rat's tail but the creature seemed not to notice, disappearing around a corner.

"I wonder if this works on humans," Midori turned, wand quivering.

Sirius shot her a narrow-lidded glare. "Don't even try me Brooks, you don't want to duel with me."

"Is that a challenge?" Her chin lifted.

Black nodded decisively, eyebrows lifting. "If I win, I'm going to fuck you."

As Midori opened her mouth a wheezing cackle caused her to look upwards and she audibly groaned as Peeves blew her a raspberry and did a flip mid-air. "Oooohhh, naughty, naughty, looking for a broom cupboard are we?"

"Go away Peeves," Midori leveled a stare at him.

"Ooooh, your girlfriend's mad, oooh!" Peeves hooted. The sound cut off abruptly as a bright jet of yellow light hit him. He vanished before he could finish swearing and Midori wore a rather satisfied smile unlike a cat who'd not only ate the canary but managed to hunt down the bird's entire family to save for a latter date.

"Do I wanna know?" Sirius asked

"I sent him to the place where he fears most, and given that Peeves is afraid of the Bloody Baron, and the Baron's occupied with a rather excited Fat Lady this evening… I wonder how he'll take to having his date interrupted?"

His laughter boomed and echoed through the hall as he shook his head. "Genuis. Always knew you had a sense of humor, Brooks."

"Still wanna take me on?" Midori sent another spell at a poor unsuspecting kitty skittering around the corner. He hissed at her, perhaps startled by the flash of light as the spell erupted from her hand then screeched in distress when the neutering charm smacked him square in the face.

"I'll take you any day," Black said lazily.

She flushed, repressing a shiver. "Name the time and place."

"My bed, tomorrow night?"

Something screamed nearby, an unholy sound, animalistic but nothing Midori can identify.

"We should split up," Midori suggested, "It'll be quicker. I need to check that out."

"No way kitten. You're stuck with me."

She scoffed as he reached for it. "Scared of the dark, Black?"

"Yup. You've got me. I'm terrified," Black said with a mock shudder and stepped closer toward her. "Come on babe, take pity on us lesser mortals."

Midori wondered why she hadn't cursed him yet as he laced their fingers.

They were alone and he wasn't on guard. She could take him.

Black had a vindictive streak, her conscience pointed out. He was related to Bellatrix and she'd seen him deal with various members of her House whenever they looked at him wrong.

He would, Midori grudgingly admitted, make an excellent Auror but he seemed to lack any ambition.

"I figured out what I want from you," he said suddenly.

Her assessment of him plummeted. Had she really forgotten for one second just why she was stuck with him?

"I'm waiting," Midori snapped when he said nothing following his sudden announcement.

"It's hard to put into words."

"We're attending an excellent school, Black. You must've passed at least one O.W.L which requires you to string together letters into a coherent sentence. I'm sure you'll find two neurons to rub together –"

"You're mouthy when you get scared," Sirius interrupted, laughing. "I don't know why I haven't noticed it before."

"What am I supposed to be scared of?" Midori demanded, paling as they emerged before the death trap of stairs before them.

"We need to split up. I'll look in the dungeons, there's bound to be scores of cats chasing mice down there," she attempted coldness but he laughed again, unimpressed despite her excellent acting skills.

"Shh, trust me kitten."

"Like hell. We can take the long way around–"

"Ready?" Sirius grinned wickedly, ignoring her desperate, "No, wait!" before taking off.

Her hand was trapped in his and firmly attached to the rest of her body had no choice but to follow. A scream bubbled in her throat as they leapt through the air.

The gap between the stairs was too large and she had visions of plummeting to hear death but Black's longer legs landed on his target each and every time. She fell into him and scrambled for the railings, gripping them tight.

"I knew it!" Black exclaimed and she stared at him, dazed.

Sirius grinned, tugging her hair. Midori, the ever serene and unflappable angel was flushed and rumpled, her silken hair no longer straight but fluttering around her in adorable disarray.

"Something's wrong with you," she sneered, and Sirius agreed wholeheartedly. When a man used the word adorable to describe a girl in any way he was royally fucked.

A horrific screeching noise sounded from somewhere in the castle. "Cat fight," Sirius muttered and took off in search for the source, pulling Midori along.

Her knees jarred and the entire length of her intestines twisted in on itself upon each successive landing. Her heart couldn't take it, Midori thought as sweat trickled down her temple, leap-frogging like maniacs over the stairs until they finally landed on the fourth floor.

Following the screeching and feral _mrrrwoows_ they emerged to find what could only be described as a frenzy. "Contain them," Sirius barked and Midori bit back a retort as she set up invisible barriers around the battling fur balls looking less cute with each hiss they sent her way.

Spell after spell hit their numbers, breaking up a few fights, and time and time again they slammed up against an invisible barrier and yowled their distress until Sirius and Midori finally managed to neuter every last cat, some unfortunate felines twice until they were satisfied every last one was incapable of producing fluffy babies. Before dissolving the containment charm Midori tagged the felines with a small marking on their fur that would eventually disappear in a month.

"Now we can keep track of which ones are fixed."

"Good thinking," Sirius grunted and she made a face.

"Someone has to do it."

"Are you saying I'm not smart?"

"You did, I didn't."

"Show me how to do it."

"Say please."

Midori yelled as a hand patted her butt, Sirius bending to nip her earlobe. "Please, pretty baby, can I take you to bed?"

"Get away from me, I'll file a restraining order."

"My sheets are clean," Sirius trailed his fingers down her spine.

Midori eyed him coldly. "You're not."

"You can help me shower."

"You don't know when to stop, do you?"

She slammed to a stop at the end of the corridor staring at a junction she'd never seen before.

"We have to go back," Midori said uneasily. _Hogwarts: A History_ stated the castle had absorbed so much magic and been touched by so many minds and souls over the centuries it was semi-sentinent.

The castle behaved for the most part but some nights it acted up. Midori had only ever been trapped in a shifting maze in a remote corner of the West Wing once, age thirteen, almost hysterical by the time she unwittingly stumbled into Dumbledore's office.

"Three rights, two floors down, one left and we'll be where we need to be." Sirius said, pocketing a piece of parchment. "What's wrong kitten?"

"How do you know?" Midori asked tightly. "People have disappeared for days treading paths undiscovered."

"I know, kitten." Sirius reached for her hand. "I know you don't trust me but in this, believe me when I say I won't let you get lost."

Given Hogwart's magnitude and complexity, there really should be maps. Even after six years Midori still had a nightmare navigating but Black seemed to know his way around like the back of his hand.

It was strangely comforting, patrolling with him after dark.

"How?" She asked.

He shrugged.

She sighed, ears straining in the gloom. There were always dozens of cats racing about and yet tonight, there were none. Perhaps the neutered felines had run off to warn their brethren.

"You know… my great-great-great grandfather was a headmaster here you know," Sirius said, wondering of all the things he could've said why his brain had supplied that lame piece of information. Nonetheless his mouth continued to run while his mind screamed his mouth was doing anything but impress the girl.

"Phineas Nigellus Black. Least popular headmaster Hogwart's has ever had."

"Why?" Midori asked instead of her usual response, which until his attempt at blackmail had been disdainful silence and complete ignorance of his presence.

"He despised muggleborns and believed they shouldn't be taught magic. Called them mudbloods. He was snide, sarcastic, didn't care for other people's feelings and had an ego like you won't believe. Can you imagine a guy like that as Headmaster?"

Her head tilted indicating she was listening. A good sign, Sirius told himself. And he didn't even have to provoke her to gain her attention.

"I wonder how was elected in the first place." He mused when Midori stayed silent.

"You belong to one of the oldest and purest bloodlines," she said at last. "You should be proud?"

"Do you care about that kind of thing?" Sirius asked, heart sinking.

"I don't know," Midori said after a pregnant pause, "My parents are a little fanatical but I guess it wouldn't really make sense for purebloods to marry other purebloods. There's only so many lines left before it turns incestuous."

"How do you feel about muggles?"

"I'd rather marry a pureblood," Midori muttered.

Sirius's temper sparked.

"Snob."

"At least I'm honest."

He told himself he shouldn't be attracted to someone like her, with her disagreeable opinions and her open disdain for marrying anyone unworthy of pureblood status but his dick wasn't as logical or selective as his brain, and the latter organ slyly reminded him he was a pureblood and therefore worthy of consideration. Wait, he was _not_ going to marry Midori Brooks, he argued, he just wanted to fuck her.

Midori handed out several detentions and docked points for several amorous couples caught canoodling or attempting something saucier after dark.

"You're a cockblock," Sirius told her with clear disapproval.

"I'm a Prefect." She retorted. "We can't all be morally promiscuous like you. It's amazing you're not wasting away from a fornicator's fetynski."

Sirius gritted his teeth, stung by her judgment. He didn't need to explain himself yet he found himself doing just that. "I'm not a fucking slut. You shouldn't listen to gossip but you're not in a position to judge, little Miss Sex Kitten."

"Sirius Black has feelings?" Midori taunted, refusing to let him see he got to her.

She misunderstood him but lust was clouding his judgement. He had to get away from her or ravish her no matter how protests.

"Maybe we should split up," Sirius said roughly.

Midori shrugged, ignoring the kernel of fear she refused to acknowledge blooming in her chest.

"Fine."

She had it so wrong, Sirius thought darkly. For a smart witch she really had no clue. His feelings weren't hurt, he wanted to push her up against the nearest wall and fuck her sense.

His fingers itched to push up the skirt she hiked three inches above school regulations and discover what color panties she wore, and they would be panties of the lacy kind, not dull knickers or plain boy shorts. Her infuriating barbs were a turn-on like no other, he wanted to seize her, possess her and spank some manners into her whenever she mouthed off.

Yeah, he had feelings, Sirius thought with an grimace, adjusting his pants. Real _delicate_ feelings that were currently affecting his ability to walk. He'd struggled to contain the inappropriate lust that surged when Midori had gotten uppity with him. It made him want to go all caveman on her, beat his chest and drag her into the cave to prove just

He made it halfway down the hall before a blood-curling scream stopped his heart. Executing a swift u-turn he hurtled in the direction of Midori's screams.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five.**

When Sirius located the source of screams, his knees almost gave out. Staring at the scene before him, his mind wasn't quite able to process what his own eyes were seeing.

A whimper whipped his head left.

His wand lowered as Midori emerged behind a Concealment Charm, eyes wild, cowering against the wall.

"Fuck," Sirius said succinctly and hauled her into his arms.

"I don't need a hug or to be coddled." Her voice emerged hoarse, whether from shock or the ferocity of her earlier screams he didn't know but the husky quality scrapped along his ears.

Sirius rubbed her back one-handed, wand gripped in the other. "Shut up, kitten. Hyou need a hug and I'll coddle you later. Catch your breath and tell me what happened."

Midori was practically screaming for comfort, burrowing into him, shaking so violently the vibrations forced his body to tremble along.

"N-nothing happened. I found her." Midori shuddered harder. "She's dead, Sirius. She – someone killed – right here – Hogwarts."

"I know. I can see that." He amped up the luminosity of his wand, staring hard into the gloom, chilled at the thought of a killer lurking in the shadows.

Casting several protective spells least the murderer returned, he turned Midori in his arms and murmured, "Keep an eye out for me, kitten. No, don't look at the dead girl, just watch the shadows for any signs of movement."

Midori swallowed convulsively. "You think he'll be back?"

"Let's hope not."

The victim appeared no older than thirteen, arms and legs were twisted into grotesque unnatural angles, barely attached to their sockets. She looked like a puppet lying in a pool of blood and the word _mudblood_ was carved into her forehead.

Her body was still warm, the blood fresh, smothering the air.

Brown eyes stared up at the cealing, residual horror still apparent although starting to fog in death.

There wasn't any way to close her eyelids without stepping into the large crimson pool and contaminating evidence but the girl's eyes begged for mercy, pleading from beyond the grave to shut out the horror she'd witnessed during her final moments.

Sirius racked his mind for a spell but there was only the knowledge that someone had tortured a vulnerable girl within the castle and gotten away with murder. Conjuring a floating step, he hovered over the girl and closed her eyes, leaping back as Midori spoke, her words rasping into the air, barely audible. "We need a teacher."

"That we do. Can I trust you to have my back?" Sirius asked, glancing over his shoulder.

Hurt lanced through her chest. "I may not like you Black but I won't let you down."

"I'd expected you to say something along the lines of you using my body as a shield." Sirius muttered, pulling her against him.

"Please." Midori injected acid into her words. "If I have to use your body as a shield, the second you die I'll have nothing but dead weight holding me down while my killer charges me. You better stay alive and breathing Black. Let's go."

"Keep your back against me, kitten."

The back of her head pressed firmly against the groove where his shoulders met as they hurried toward the first floor. Neither of them dared to call for a teacher least they attracted the attention of the murderer.

McGonagall didn't answer the door and the teacher's room had disappeared.

Midori followed Sirius through the castle until they found themselves outside a one-eyed statue.

"Sherbert lemons," he said firmly. The statue sprang up.

"H-how do you know the p-password?"

Midori gripped Sirius's hand tight as she raced up a long winding staircase.

"I know things." He replied, hammering on Dumbledore's door. It clicked open but there was no sign of the Headmaster, only a beautiful phoenix rested on top of a golden cage.

The warmth from the fire chased chills from her bones as Midori sank into a seat, hugging her knees.

Portraits of former Headmasters and Headmistresses stirred as Sirius prodded them awake.

"Back in my days, pupils showed respect and barge barge in," one of them began but Sirius cut them off.

"There's been a murder. Fifth flood. We need a teacher."

At once the portraits began conversing while some disappeared from frame.

Midori startled as Sirius lifted her from her seat, stealing it, settling her over his legs until her back flush against his chest.

"Don't cuddle me."

"I need comforting, I saw a dead body." Sirius said as he slid his hands around her.

Midori shivered, eyes screwing shut even as the image flashed to mind.

"She was so… young."

His wand gripped tight in his right hand aimed at the door while hers trembled from her left.

He felt good, Midori acknowledged, sinking against him. She felt as if she belonged. Their breaths puffed into the air, her agitation stirring Fawkes from slumber as the phoenix circled overhead as if keeping vigil.

Comforted by Sirius's solidarity and warmth, Midori resisted the wave of fatigue pulling at her senses, trying to drown her under.

The door swung open unexpectedly, Dumbledore striding inside.

Midori leapt off Sirius's lap. "Professor–"

Dumbledore held up a hand. "Briefly, if you please, what happened tonight, Miss Brooks?"

After hurrying through their narrative, the headmaster nodded, his expression revealing nothing. "I see."

"What's happening now?" Sirius demanded.

Midori was taken back by his tone. The headmaster seemed to take no offense, calm as he answered,

"Horace and Minerva are transporting the body. Filius has contacted the Ministry and the fifth floor has been cordoned off. May I ask what you two were doing there and how you came to find the body?"

Words tripped over Midori's tongue as she explained the detention McGonagall had assigned, her foolhardy decision to part with Sirius and her gruesome discovery.

Dumbledore looked old, older than his years, strained as he said quietly, "I see," and moved to sit behind his desk.

"May I ask you two to keep this to yourselves? Not a word to anyone," Dumbledore said, looking directly at Sirius.

Midori nodded uneasily while Sirius gave a curt nod. "Yes, sir."

Those words jarred her. Sirius didn't respect authority figures or called any teacher _sir_.

"I'll escort you both back to your respective Houses." Dumbledore said after scribbling a letter and handing it to Fawkes.

"Sir?" Midori asked shakily. "Can Sirius and I complete our detention another time? I fear I'm feeling rather ill."

"Of course. I think a new curfew will be imposed in light of this tragedy. No students out after dark and the Prefects will patrol in no less than groups of three."

Midori suppressed a shudder at the thought of patrolling again.

Sirius stepped closer, wrapping a protective arm around her. "Sir, I think it would be wiser to conduct a headcount at night and simply seal the students inside their respective Houses. There are Muggle-born Prefects… Having them wander around after dark looking for rulebreakers makes them a target."

Dumbledore assessed the troublemaker usually roaming around the halls after dark and nodded. "You are quite right, Mr Black. I'll inform the Heads. Shall I ask Madame Pomfrey for a sleep drought to ensure you do not stay awake reliving a rather unpleasant scenario before I escort you both to bed?"

Both declined. Dumbledore nodded, striding toward the door, holding it open. "Very well. Let's get you two off to bed."

Gripping Sirius's hand, Midori ventured out, the brightness of her wand almost hurting her eyes as they snaked down toward the Basements.

"Is he talking to the walls?" Sirius asked, stunned when Dumbledore proceeded to exactly that, at least to the untrained eye outside the Slytherin Common Room.

"Our entrance is hidden." Midori whispered.

"I'd always thought the Fat Lady's lectures and disappearances were annoying but at least I knew where my House entrance was." Sirius muttered.

"Sir, it's the one on your left," Midori called out and Dumbledore muttered, "Ahhhhh," as if he knew she'd kept quiet just to hold onto Sirius a bit longer.

"I'll see you at breakfast kitten," Sirius sighed when Midori tugged on her hand. "Gonna give me a kiss goodnight?"

"You're lucky I don't bloody your nose."

He deserved that and more, for dragging her into the whole mess. If he'd never blackmailed her she would've never gotten detention. If she'd never gotten detention, she wouldn't have found the dead body.

Tears streaked down her face and she swiped them in haste as she raced toward her bedroom.

So much for being a badass witch, Midori sneered, she was nothing but a petrified little girl.

Aiming her wand at the nearest glowing sphere illuminating the bedroom corridors, she put it out with a quiet," Nox amtiem," and one by one they sparked out.

Finding her room in the dark wasn't very practical, in fact it seemed impossible and futile task but Midori didn't care as tears slid down her cheeks, prodding holes at shoulder height. A door sprang open and she leapt back from the light, clapping a hand to her mouth at the shocking sight of a scantily-clad Bellatrix giggling, far from sober. A man was whispering in her ear, hands roaming the flat expanse of her belly but his words were far from romantic, praising Bellatrix for… muder?

"Hogwarts will be cleansed. The mudbloods will be eradicated." Bellatrix breathed, delight evident. "My Lord…"

Fleeing as quietly as she could manage, Midori raced back out the Slytherin Dungeons. Casting a spell, she followed the footsteps of the most recent visitor and followed the trail, catching Dumbledore and Sirius outside the Gryffindor Tower.

Dizziness robbed her breath.

"I have to talk to you, Headmaster." She panted, vision blurry.

"Hey, hey, breathe," Sirius steadied her.

"Shall we go back to my office?" Dumbledore asked kindly and Midori found herself nodding so hard her head swarmed. The world didn't seem quite steady beneath her feet.

"I'm coming," Sirius announced and to her shock Dumbledore merely inclined his head. "If that is your wish Mr. Black, let us proceed."

A tabby cat dodged several attempts on Midori's part to sterilize it before the irritated feline transformed into a woman in green robes with hair repressed in a bun. Midori's shoulders began to shake. She started the day off worrying about getting back her wand and now she was worried she'd overheard a murder confession. And to top off the horrendous day she'd just tried to neuter one of her professors.

It was all a bit too much. The last of her adrenaline ebbed, leaving her suddenly drained, plummeting toward darkness. As she spied the shifting stairwells Midori staggered into Sirius.

"I think I'm going to faint."

"Miri, now's not the time." Sirius began.

Too late, the ground rushed toward her face.


	6. Chapter 6

Hello my darling readers, all four of you. I was in hospital for a lung infection and then my computer broke. "Omg can you not come up with a better excuse?" Sorry no. I was actually sick and my computer broke. If anyone wants to pay the bill I can email you copies of it :D

LunaNotLoony: You're right! I'll go back and fix it. Thanks for pointing it out xx

Fugacity7: Ok I googled it and yes you're right, James was a Chaser however I didn't read Rowling's interview (until just now) and I went with the first HP movie while writing in which when Harry looked at the cabinet of trophies it said his father was a Seeker. I could probably change it later but right now I'm too lazy :(

Guest: Who are you? Come talk to me, don't be mysterious, I can't stalk you if you remain anonymous. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! When I was growing up Bellatrix always creeped me out so I kinda wanted to invoke that emotion because to me she'll always be creepy no matter how much I love Helena Bonham Carter.

This chapter is dedicated to i-want-a-jet-pack for the sheer amount of reviews I got and the rather polite demands that I update. So without further ado, here's chapter six in lieu of a ring.

 **Chapter Six**

Sirius dove forward, catching Midori just before she hit the ground. Her pallor and lack of response to the kiss sparked panic. He pressed on her lips and her lack of response convinced him she was truly unconscious.

"Come on Brooks, you're not the type to play damsel in distress." He muttered frantically. "Wake up!"

"Exhaustion," McGonagall said briskly.

Sirius bit back a protest and reluctantly handed Midori over to McGonagall who proved far stronger than she looked.

After examining Midori with a scanning spell, McGonagall nodded at the Fat Lady, "Well Mr. Black I think you can go off to bed."

"Please –

"Sirius." Dumbledore said quietly. "Please. Return to your dorms. I'll escort Miss Brooks to Hospital Wing myself. As talented as you are in duelling, it'll reassure me immensely if all my students are well and accounted for when there's a killer on the loose."

Sirius glanced at Midori with a mixture of worry and frustration, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead before McGonagall escorted him back toward the Fat Lady.

"Squashed eggplants." He bit out.

"Mmph, that's right, eat your veggies," the Fat Lady mumbled before swinging open.

The second he stepped into his dormitory he kicked off his shoes then climbed into bed, too weary to undress. Moony's snores filled the room, wind shrieked outside his window but the sounds reached his ears distorted as if he was underwater, isolated from reality.

Sleep did not come as his mind as his replayed the sound of Midori's scream. The agony in that half-minute it took him to reach her had ripped his very soul apart at the seam.

What was that old adage, something about finding love when you least expect it?

Sirius had never wanted or expected to fall in love. If you asked him, the last person he'd expected or _wanted_ to fall in love with was Midori Brooks, a haughty Slytherin snob with more attitude than ass. Gorgeous as she was, she simply wasn't his type. She wasn't easy, her rack was a modest B-cup at most, her personality was more bitter and sour than sweet.

But alas the heart wanted what was the most damaging for it. And worse than falling in love with the wrong girl was the timing of it all. He was only seventeen. He had his role in the Order and a mission before him. There was no time for distractions. No time to let a mere slip of a girl replace his life's purpose but when he Midori heard her scream he tasted fear, a tinny fetid taste that he'd only experienced as a child dodging his mother's drunken hexes, a primal fear that chilled the bone and rendered a man powerless as a babe.

That scream had frightened him, shook him to the core, and when he'd found Midori unharmed and alive in that room standing three feet near a dead girl, he'd taken one look into those shell-shocked blue eyes, in that moment, in that horrific moment he knew the exact second he'd fallen in love as he felt his soul shudder in relief, whole just to see Midori safe and sound.

His mind replayed the look of desperation on her face when she reached them outside Gryffindor Tower.

Suddenly the urge to grab Prong's invisibility cloak and sneak out to Hospital Wing overrode him. His legs twitched, pins and needles stabbing along his spine as he attempted to roll off the bed but utter exhaustion prevented him from doing little more than grunt.

Formiddable willpower was no match for a weak body. Sirius stewed until exhaustion overwhelmed him.

Sleep came in fractured stutters, plagued with the haunting feeling that he wasn't running fast enough, he couldn't make it in time, the walls blurring and closing around him as his feet thudded out of sync with his thudding heart. Midori's scream echoed in his head and he saw blood, so much blood, coating his hands, coating her beautiful head…

Morning light blinded when Sirius jarred awake unexpectedly, throwing a sluggish punch someone hovering over him.

"Bloody hell! Knock it off will you, we have Potions!"

"It's Sunday!"

"Nah, mate, you slept through Sunday, we got Potions."

"Give Sluggie my regards." Sirius slurred, trying to pull his sheets over his face.

" _Accio_ blanket!"

"Fuck right off mate and give that back!"

"Get up you lazy git! We have class!"

"If I wanted a dad I'd ask find someone who doesn't look like something a baboon's ass sat on!"

\\\

Midori Brooks woke in Hospital Wing, not groggy or disorientated as most patients would, but fill of vitality and brimming with rage.

Rage was a scent in the air, a calling in her blood. The emotion was primarily directed at herself, for she was a coward and worse, an _enlightened_ coward.

If she was brave she'd find Dumbledore and confess what she'd overheard down in the Slytherin dorms but the burden of proof was rather insurmountable, and not only would she incur the wrath of Pureblooded society but her father would likely disown her.

At sixteen with nary a coin to her name but for the generous allowances her family dispensed, Midori knew with cold sober clarity that she would not make it on her own. She didn't possess half the fortitude as she projected, and she wasn't unwilling to live on the streets, cold, miserable, beggaring and pathetic.

It was all good and well to pretend pride and think of oneself as self-sufficient but reality hardly lived up to potential plans mapped out in one's head.

She wasn't a do-gooder or believed in world peace. There was a reason she was in Slytherin, not Hufflepuff. Her ambitions were far greater than the calling of morality. Midori reasoned she couldn't be completely persuaded Bellatrix had been referring to the dead girl on the third floor.

After all she'd witnessed Bellatrix in a state of intoxication on numerous previous occasions in which the older girl boasted rather ambiguously of various nefarious things but usually the murder confessions involved an unfortunate bunny or doe who had the misfortune to encounter Bellatrix Black after dark.

Following much internal conflict Midori decided there was one rather unattractive option to get to the truth.

Veritaserum. A truth serum so powerful its drinker is compelled to answer any question asked. Only three drops is required to take effect and the potion itself was indistinguishable from water. But procuring ingredients was almost impossible and making the actual potion an even more daunting task. And she needed to make an antitode to Veritaserum so Bellatrix wouldn't continue spilling secrets after the interrogation – another thing to worry about.

Midori startled as the curtains to her ward rew back.

"Alright dear?" A kindly voice asked as the curtains drew back.

"Fine," Midori lied.

After Madame Pomfrey conducted tests, the Healer said, "I'll brew some tea dearie. Sit tight," and left her ferociously frowning patient back to her maudlin thoughts.

Veritaserum, Midori decided, was the way to go.

She wasn't a Slytherin for nothing and there were worse obstacles to overcome in life, like forgetting to hate a certain grey-eyed Gryffindor who had the nerve to blackmail her. He owed her two photos, she won them back fair and square.

Sixteen more to go, Midori scowled then sat abruptly.

Indignation flared as she recalled the photos Potter had taken. Like hell she was going to let photos of her kissing Black show up!

With blazing eyes Midori found her way back to Slytherin House and slipped back inside her room just before the majority of students rushed out anticipating breakfast upstairs in the Great Hall.

Bellatrix cornered her in the Commons demanding details about the dead girl, not an ideal way to start a morning as Midori rushed to the nearest bathroom and dry-heaved for a good hour.

"Pregnant?" A sly voice asked.

"Ahh!" Clapping a hand over her heart, Midori endured Moaning Myrtle's interrogation, stumbling back to her room to pour over textbooks.

Technically, Veritaserum wasn't difficult as long as one had steady hands and a knack for Potions but the precise timing and quantity of ingredients were of critical importance and unforgiving in anything but flawless execution.

She could do it, Midori thought grimly. Slughorn always had underestimated her. Despite her Exceeds Exceptions in Potions from her fifth year O. , Slughorn had been reluctant to admit her into Advanced Potions.

The jolly fat Head of Slytherin House displayed subtle favoritism that'd always eluded Midori, not that she minded but she did loathe coming second.

An inquiring little meow snatched her attention. Midori reached down to pluck a plump ginger cat, snuggling the purring creature then resumed reading and making notes. So caught up in her research, she jolted when a House Elf who'd Apparated into her room squealed, bowing low.

"Apologies mistress! Fufu usually cleans–"

"No, no, don't apologize, you do a marvelous job of cleaning my room, _I'll_ go," Midori said hastily, throwing books into the nearest satchel.

In less than a minute she was racing upstairs. Upon finding the Great Hall empty, she preformed a time-checking spell and slumped with despair onto the nearest seat.

It was quarter to three in the afternoon. She'd missed not only lessons but had failed to hand in several assignments. This wasn't her. She wasn't the type to slack off and until today she'd never missed a deadline.

She heaved a sigh, heading toward Hospital Wing, a lie ready, a lie Madame Pomfrey readily swallowed. Midori waited as the Healer produced stoppered bottles of various liquids then finally handed over a note stating she'd been to sick to attend class.

"Should you faint again, you must come straight to me." Pomfrey said sternly, "It won't do well for you to push yourself dearie. Why, back in my days…"

Midori endured a lecture and slinked off toward the Great Hall, triumphant.

It didn't occur to her that the events of the previous night – the death of a student and Dumbledore's attempt to hush it up – had somehow gripped the student body and distorted versions of events were rife in the air. A new curfew was in place and a Ministry inquiry had been launched into the death of Evette du Joux, a transfer student from Académie de Magie Beauxbâtons.

"Merlin's testicles, you're _alive!_ " Malfoy gaped at Midori when she joined the Slytherin table for dinner.

Midori blinked as a sea of faces turned.

The handsome Prefect visibly slumped before seizing her by the arm. "They said you were found on the third floor dead!"

"Whose they?" Midori enquired, puzzled. "It was the fourth floor, actually – hey!"

"Shut up." Malfoy said aggressively as Midori reared back. She wasn't fast enough and Lucius's lips landed within the vicinity of her mouth, an awkward but hard kiss grinding into the corner of her lips.

Midori grimaced as the sound of a cat being skinned whipped through the air. Narcissa Black raced toward her. The icy blonde was beside herself, red-faced, fuming, wand set to cast a spell but the witch was so utterly beside herself it seemed she was incapable of deciding which curse to summon first.

Midori cast a Silencing Charm on her opponent then locked eyes with Bellatrix.

One raised eyebrow was Bellatrix's only response before she tugged her sister away, spitting and howling in silent fury.

There was a time and place Bellatrix would come after her. In full view of the teachers and several hundred witnesses wasn't it.

Midori wiped her mouth and leveled a precise elbow at Malfoy's gut. He bellowed, taken off guard and she left him swearing he was going to tame her some day. She kindly suggested he reserve a bed at St. Mungo's and left him doubled-over after a sharp jab to a fragile part of the male anatomy with her wand.

Heads swiveled in her direction as she headed toward the teacher's table. She produced her note and watched every professor but McGonagall offer sympathy and bend over themselves backwards to try and help her catch up on the work she'd missed. Several stated they would happily receive her late essay submissions without penalty, causing Midori's knees to almost buckle with relief. Before she left McGonagall said,

"Miss Brooks. A certain Mr. Black has made himself vocally and rather vehemently known that he has copies of the notes you require from my class should members of your House fail to provide you what you require. As for clarification on the wand movements you missed this morning, Mr. Black has also availed his services. I trust you are recovered enough to finish your detention this weekend?"

Midori's heart sank and she nodded meekly. Damn McGonagall.

As she turned Sirius had the nerve to crook a finger at her from the Gryffindor table.

Like hell she was to be summoned like a wayward pet, Midori thought as she dismissed him and thanked her professors before flouncing – yes she'd purposely added the extra bounce to her gait knowing that Black was watching – back toward her table.

Unfortunately the only seat available was near Malfoy. Out of sheer pettiness Midori sent a tongue shriveling spell his way and laughed as Malfoy proceeded to spill a goblet of pumpkin juice down his robes, spray a mouthful of pumpkin juice all over Narcissa's adoring face and promptly fall into a choking fit.

Her evening was looking up.

Dinner, delicious as it was, failed to captive Midori as her mind preoccupied itself with the task ahead. The ingredients themselves were rare and costly _if_ all the ingredients were available.

The Ministry had a secret task force devoted to tracking several vital ingreidents and incredibly difficult to obtain Veritaserum even on the black market.

Laughter grated her ears as Midori repressed a shudder. Bellatrix's laugh was unique, the fog in a graveyard thickening to soup to collect in a person's lungs and drown them as they breathed without granting the merciful relief of death.

Focus, Midori swirled her goblet of water. The sooner she eliminated the threat, the better.

The potency of the Veritaserum depended on the maker's skill. A bad batch had nasty side effects not commonly known to those eager to make a tidy profit. She could order the ingredients under pretext of studying their properties for Herbology. It required a note from Sprout but that wasn't a problem. Sprout was amendable to chocolate liqueurs.

Slipping from the Great Hall she hurried toward outside, turning so fast she gave herself whiplash as a shadow materialized from nowhere.

"Running kitten?"

Midori snarled as Black, who looked decidedly pissed off in turn, arms crossed, legs planted wide, looking for all the world as if she'd done something wrong and he was there to deliver punishment.

"I'm busy, go stalk someone else."

She flinched as he seized her not unlike Malfoy had done.

"What the hell was that between you and Malfoy earlier?"

"What?"

"The kiss."

Oh Merlin, she didn't have time for this.

"I told you I had a thing for Seekers," Midori taunted, shrieking as she found herself slammed against the wall and kissed thoroughly by an enraged Sirius Black.

It was a delicious experience, her tongue fighting his for dominance.

"I came to see you this morning," Sirius snapped when need for air forced them to part. Nipping her lower lip, he continued snarling, "You snore, kitten."

Trying to climb up his sturdy frame and failing Midori lifted to her toes and rubbed her forehead against his unshaven jaw. "I do not. Go away. I have essays due."

She was supposed to hate him, not rub against him like a cat in head.

"I'll help you."

"No thanks. You lack the basic intelligence to be useful." Midori panted.

Delight pierced, low and deep, an acute throb tightening to the point of pain between her legs as Sirius kneaded her ass – how dare the bastard tell her she didn't have enough of it?! – and growled he was going to spank some manners into her. Promises, promises.

"We have to talk," Midori strung kisses along her jaw. "It's important."

They were only a few feet outside the castle. Anyone could walk past and see them. The thrill of discovery made her all that more daring and burn hotter.

"Talk." Sirius snapped, trying and failing to undo her shirt.

"You talk. Use your deep voice to tell me nice things." Midori startled, wondering if the ridiculous request and that sex-stripped-bare voice was hers.

She banished embarassment, desire drowning out doubt. Sirius had a nice deep baritone and she loved compliments.

"Fine. Here it goes. I'll sleep with you exclusively if you promise the same. Don't expect flowers or shit from me. I don't tolerate clinginess or nagging. You smell fantastic."

"I'm not dating you." Midori said breathlessly, reeling.

Did he even know what he was saying? Did Sirius Black just use the taboo 'e' word?

"I'm going to leave bruises," Sirius warned before sucking on the creamy length of her throat.

She wanted to protest but dug her nails into his back, writhing. "We need to talk about the dead girl!"

A tortured groan followed by heavy, uneven bursts of panting preceded Sirius's frustrated, "You sure know how to kill the mood kitten."

"I'm talented," Midori said, refusing to relinquish her grip as he stepped back.

"You're clinging," Black said pointedly even as he tightened his grip. It was painful but Midori refused to protest. There was absurd and profound comfort holding him, as if he was the only anchor in a churning ocean ready to throw up tidal waves to drown her any second now.

"I'm cold." Midori muttered, wondering whether to risk letting him become co-conspirator of her _ply Bellatrix with_ _Veritaserum_ plot.

"You need to wear less provocative boots," Sirius eyed her feet.

"Fuck you. You don't get to dictate me."

"Sure I do. I'm running this relationship."

"Excuse me? _I'm_ the one who runs," Midori kicked at a pebble, glowering, "We're _not_ in a relationship."

Sirius threw back his head and laughed. "Sure we do, it's just a fucked up version of it."

Midori rolled her eyes, pulling to a stop. "Look, Black. I don't want you in any capacity."

He made a liar out of her in a distressingly short amount of time until a group of slack-jawed second years prompted Midori and Black to detach themselves.

"When you guys grow up, ask Madame Pomfrey about contraception." Sirius informed them, ignoring Midori's hiss of rage.

"It's gonna be all over the school by morning," Black said smugly, falling behind her.

"Are you going to give me my photos soon? You gave your word." Midori snapped, stomping toward the Greenhouses.

"That was before you let Malfoy kiss you. That really hurt my feelings, kitten."

She stopped, appalled. "I did _not_ –"

"And I'm not done with your photos, kitten. Sorry." Sirius lifted a shoulder. "I can give you photos of me if you want to level the playing field."

"Don't make me sick." Midori flushed, "I don't want your disgusting photos!"

Suddenly Sirius stopped walking. She turned to him, questioning, and watched as he lifted a mirror out of his pocket, hurrying away, "See ya latter kitten."

Unbelievable, Midori stared at his retreating back.

After a futile search in the Greenhouses, Midori headed for the library.

Vanilla, musk and clean citrus fragrances clashed with the cloying staleness of dust and mold as she passed scarred tables cluttered with books and glutted with bleary-eyed students from various Houses, Ravenclaws dominating the room.

Abandoning the thought of finding a table Midori headed straight for the Restricted Section. It was an open secret amongst Slytherins how to gain entry into the area. There was an unspoken rule that it wasn't to be spread beyond the House walls least the professors updated their archaic security measures.

Midori browsed the aisles, exchanging nods with younger members of her House and ignoring the Ravenclaws as she began to search for the _Of_ _Lost Philtres, Brews, and Decotions by Du Wang Di, Translated by Sir Frizwell Pox._ There were many translations of the revered book but only one that left nothing out of the original text and thus giving no chance of valuable knowledge lost in translation, however grammatically incorrect or oddly worded some passages were reported to be, which of course had catalyzed many inaccurate copies of translated texts that were more population than the one written by Frizwell Pox.

After a frustrating search, arms straining beneath the weight of some interesting finds, Midori cast a querying spell around the room. It was against the rules, a spell could potentially disturb many dangerous books within the room but she was on a mission, and running out of time.

A golden thread connected to her wand and led her toward a shelf. Midori rushed battled a few books along the way as they sailed toward her like missiles. It wasn't until she closed her hand around the moth-eaten, tattered copy of _Of Lost Philtres_ that she realized the bones in her fingers were broken.

Excitement and adrenaline dulled the pain to a barely notable throb. She slipped back out into the main library as discreetly as she could with arms and bag bulging, in far excess of the strict ten-book limit Madam Prince imposed.

A hex punched her in the face unexpectedly. Her vision immediately darkened as boils erupted, burst and oozed over her eyes, raw skin scraped beneath the fabric of her uniform and the sensation of ten thousand stinging wasps intensifying over and _under_ her skin. Who knew Narcissa Black could pack such a punch behind the spell?

Her cry attracted the attention of several passerbys scurrying past but none seemed inclined to intervene. Through stinging tears, Midori managed to throw up a Shield Charm and worked rapidly to counteract the hex. It took four tries before relief trickled through the agony and she had no time to attack, working to re-erect her Shields as Narcissa blasted away at her defensive barrier.

"I have better things to do than seduce your limp-dicked boyfriend and if you were any woman at all you'd have the common sense to leave him, or at least try to keep his attention." Midori snarled, hoping Narcissa let emotion cloud her precise attacks.

"I'll kill you deader than the girl on the fourth floor!" Narcissa shrieked.

It took five minutes before someone fetched a teacher. Professor Dumbledore strolled onto the scene looking as if he was out for a pleasant walk through the garden.

"Miss Black." Steel belied the softness of his tone. "Please cease your assault on Miss Brooks and come with me."

Midori remained on the floor, crouched defensively, Shield Charms forming a rather eclectic bubble structure, shimmering like a heat wave even after Dumbledore disarmed Narcissa and recruited the Hufflepuff Head Boy to find Slughorn, ignoring Midori's protests.

"Interesting nighttime reading choices," Slughorn commented as he eyed the titles of her books as she clutched them against her chest.

"I'm considering a career in Healing," Midori lied. Her parents would never allow her to lower herself to working for a wage.

"Do you need to visit Madame Pomfrey?" Slughorn asked with a touch of concern.

"I'm tougher than I look. Thank you professor," Midori said, hoping he would just leave already.

Not for the first time she wondered not for the first time if she would make it to graduation alive.

Several letters were waiting when she made it back to her room. Dread rose as Midori recognized her father's seal. A garish pink letter with sparkles rested beside it. Several bulky brown envelopes addressed her more formally.

"Is it too late to transfer to Beauxbatons?" Midori sighed.

A soft meow was the only response.

The letter from the Wizengamot requested her attendance in the summer. Why the wizarding court required her presence wasn't stated, only that she was required by law to attend. Her father's long, proud letter boasted of recent success in the business world and made ambiguous references to the 'changing of times' ahead. Reading between the lines, Midori's stomach crampedShe forced herself not to dwell on the subject and finally turned her attention to the sparkly pink monstrosity.

The letter was from Bellatrix Black, not Narcissa. Pink was a color she never thought to associate with the middle Black sister. There was no message, only a grotesque drawing of a green skull with a serpent protruding from the mouth, flickering and thrashing as if eager to devour its victim.

Belatedly, Midori recognized the mark for what it was and recoiled.

The Dark Mark.

She'd heard of it. She'd had never seen yet there was no mistaking the symbol for what it was.

Lord Voldemort's design.

Was it a threat? Midori shrieked, leaping back as the letter combusted. The Mark vanished but the image still burned on her retinas.

Midori paced rapidly, heart racing. If it was a threat, she had to be ready.

She couldn't trust the teachers, no one had ever managed to reign Bellatrix in, and if she went to Dumbledore, he was duty-bound to inform Bellatrix's parents. They would hardly scold their daughter for something they would argue as 'a prank'. A few detentions was unlikely to deter Bellatrix's behaviour and would only goad the other witch to step up the harassment campaign. Once she tasted blood, there was no relenting until a corpse withered on the ground.

No. No tattling and no crying to the teachers. Midori refused to be reduced to a victim by a mere letter, distasteful as it was. She was made of sterner stuff.

But she was shaken.

Deeply shaken.

A badass witch, she was not, stripped of veneer, no need for a mask as she faced the pale girl in the mirror.

Midori contemplated writing a letter home then scoffed.

She'd be punished for inciting discord with another prominent wizarding family.

And if it should come to pass what she feared most…

Midori pressed fingers over her trembling lips, forcing back sobs.

She couldn't reconcile the reality of her parents being Death Eaters. Although the evidence was there, damning and mounting, there was a child's naivete in her desperation to cling to denial. Her very own parents could be monsters and that was a fact no child accepted.

Love truly was blind and crippled the mind.

Without proof, she refused to believe.

Banishing the acrid stench of smoke with a few waves of her wand, Midori pulled her knees to her chest, staring out at the enchanted window depicting rolling fields and cloudless blue skies.

Surely Muggle children didn't have to go through such trauma just to graduate school?

Her eyes cast toward _Of Lost Philtres_ and she knew the choice wasn't hers to make. With shaking hands she reached for the book and wiped tears away as she began to read.

The truth was out there. And it was hers to fight for, hers to uncover… it was hers to weigh and judge for herself. No one else could do it for her.

Her place in the changing world was uncertain, written in sand not stone, but ambiguous as it was she would find a place for herself.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

A rather dour Midori Brooks with rather sore fingers knocked the door to Professor Dumbledore's office at ten past eight. She'd given up trying to read _Of Lost Philtres_ when Slughorn had invited himself into her room to check on her, and after a quick visit to Madame Pomfrey at the Slughorn's insistence, Midori found herself escorted to the Headmaster's office.

Curiosier and curiosier as Alice Liddell would've said, a rather fickle witch who inspired a man called Lewis Carroll to take up the pen during Victorian England times, her words plagarised and forever immortalized by a Muggle still beloved her millions of readers worldwide.

It was after Caroll established himself as a literary legacy and through the course of a long association with Liddell that led to the Ministry to legislatively forbid use of magic outside the wizarding realm. Liddell was the first to breach the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy and her fate forever lost to history.

Slughorn bid Midori a farewell and Midori frowned, pressing an ear against the door, rather suspicious as muffled groans emerged from within the Headmaster's office.

She leapt back when the door swung open. Dumbledore held several segments of an oversized orange and dropped them into a bubbling pot of chocolate fondue.

Midori stood rooted to the spot, mouth open.

"Ah, Miss Brooks. Excellent timing. Care for a snack?"

"No, thank you sir. You wanted to speak to me?" Midori forced out.

"Indeed, indeed. Sit Miss Brooks."

Her heart sank as she trudged forward. How long was the conversation going to take that it required her to be seated?

After watching half a dozen orange segments disappear behind astonishing bright teeth, Dumbledore vanquished the fondue pot and turned to her, no trace of merriment in his eyes, the lines of his face pronouncing his age.

"Miss Brooks. It appears we have a situation. I don't know how to put this…"

"I assure you I am not pregnant," Midori's hands clenched, trying to keep her voice civil. "If someone is _spreading_ lies again I would like to address my accuser directly and defend my besmirched honor."

She was going to bury Narcissa in a hole so deep new dinosaur bones would be discovered.

"I believe the situation is of a different nature although I'm rather relieved to hear of your lack of impending motherhood," Dumbledore said, eyebrows furrowing.

Midori nodded, choking down embarrassment. "Oh."

What had caused her to speak before thinking? Oh right. The numerous times the Black sisters had reported her to the teachers out of 'concern for her welfare'.

"Miss Narcissa Black has made some rather serious allegations, Miss Brooks. She claims you ambushed her and cast yourself in the role of a victim after luring her into a setup."

"What?" Midori leapt to her feet.

"Fortunately, plenty eyewitnesses had contested her claim but I fear I find myself in a position worrying about your safety. "Miss Narcissa Black is being expelled for the unprovoked attack. Had your Shield Charms been less effective I'm afraid you would be a resident of St. Mungo's by now. The Ministry is opening an inquiry into this. I'm afraid this matter isn't inconsequential or to be swept under the rug. Due to matters that's come to my attention, I think it's best if you move–"

"Sir," Midori began stiffly, "Are you warning me there may be retaliation on her behalf?"

"I cannot rule it out. Your parents have been notified and it is of my opinion that a transfer may–"

"No!" Midori burst out. "Sorry sir. But I have done nothing wrong and I refuse to be punished for something that isn't my doing!"

"Your safety is paramount and my chief concern Miss Brooks," Dumbledore began, and Midori tried desperately to persuade him she could look after herself. None of her arguments, however cleverly worded and passionately argued, seemed to sway him.

"Please sir," Midori tried one last-ditch approach, acutely aware of her materialism and not caring a whit if she appeared shallow, " I _can't_ live in the squalid confines of another House's dorm! I can't share space with other people!"

And if Dumbledore did move her from her House, how was she to concoct her idea to Veritaserum the truth out of Bellatrix? How was she to spy and unveil the events surrounding the dead girl's murder? And how was she to deal with her parents and the shame of being cast out of the noblest of Hogwarts Houses?

"I'm afraid this is out of my hands Miss Brooks." Dumbledore said gravely. "You are being transferred to Ravenclaw House. You may wear your Slytherin robes or purchase new ones befitting of your new colors. Should you desire you can be resettled to Gryffindor or Hufflepuff House however the general consensus amongst your, ah, that is your now former Housemates is not in your favor. Please do not argue with me, Miss Brooks, my decision has been made. This is not my first year as Headmaster and in my experience with situations similar it would be criminally negligent of me to overlook matters of your safety and not make arrangements to address them."

"But – but – the Sorting Hat placed me in Slytherin! And what of my status as Prefect?"

A battered object perched on Dumbledore's rather cluttered desk spoke in a wheezy voice, rife with irritation.

"My dear, you were one of the longest hatstalls I've experienced in two hundred and six years. You argued so adamantly you were to be placed in Slytherin that I simply gave in. Ravenclaw would've suited you well, and you'll find that your ambition will be well served amongst the creative spirit found within that House."

"It's a House for nerds and teacher's pets!" Midori shouted at the stupid hat, incensed.

The enormous mouth grimaced. "Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure! Rowena Ravenclaw herself earmarked students displaying not only wit but also individuality and originality! Not all wisdom is in books Miss Brooks! Wit, individuality and _originality!_ I say again, does that sound like a bunch of academic sheep to you? Ravenclaws are explorers and wanderers, free-thinkers who ask questions that beget more than mere answers. The House has produced many a famous witch or wizard that has discovered new spells and investigated the realms of magic no one thought possible! Its emblem, the token eagle is a fierce cunning creature soaring the skies, skies without boundary! There is freedom, freedom beyond comprehension, and thirst to learn. Is knowledge so pitiful, Miss Brooks, that you simply shun those in quest of enlightenment as nerds and sheep?"

"Backstabbers, the lot of them. If you think Slytherins are competitive, ha!" A nasally voice interrupted. "Try Ravenclaw House! Oh you'll do nicely girl, you'll do nicely. A sheep in wolf's clothing, you'll show them all! Never forget you're a Slytherin at heart."

Midori turned and found a portrait watching her with avid interest. Although his eyes were sleepy there was a cruel intelligence to him. This was a clever individual and one not to be trusted lightly. The plaque beneath the portrait eludicated his identity.

 _Phineas Nigellus Black_ , _1847 – 1925_.

With a jolt Midori recalled what Sirius had once told her of his great-great-grandfather. The muggle-hater and least popular headmasters Hogwarts had ever known.

"Miss Brooks? Your position as a Prefect will remain intact if that lessens your worries." Dumbledore spoke.

Turning to him, Midori stiffly enquired if any other students had ever been transferred between Houses. "Not many but it has been done," was hardly the most encouraging answer.

"With all respect sir, my parents will go to the governors and demand you be sacked." Midori warned Dumbledore.

"A man of my age needs a challenge every now and then," he replied, unperturbed.

Not knowing whether he was deluded, brilliant, or suicidal Midori kept her thoughts to herself and finally blurted, "What if you assigned me a Shadow Charm to escort me to and from my room?"

The powerful and highly illegal dark spell took on the shadow of its caster, serving as a highly effective bodyguard that leeched the life-force of those that physically touched it. A successful Shadow Charm was a gamble, and unsuccessful Charms cost the user their life, a slow painful process not unlike death by a milder form of Cruciatus torture.

In the entire history of the Shadow Charm's discovery, only two people had ever managed to cast one successfully. The record for failures stood at 392, the faces of the failed casters immortalized in several volumes of _Magick Moste Arcane_.

"You know I cannot, Miss Brooks." Dumbledore said gently. "How did you come to know Shadow Charms exist?"

Thankfully Midori was saved from answering when a showering spark of ash and cinders suddenly erupted from the fireplace. A head protruded from the glow of green flames/

Midori watched her father stepping out, dress elegantly in austere blue.

"F-father! I thought you can't Floo in and out of Hogwarts!" She said numbly.

"Tonight _I_ can," Norman Brooks said, instead offering insincere apologies to the Headmaster for intruding before demanding, "What's this I hear about Midori dueling, Albus? Surely you must've mistaken another student for my daughter."

As Dumbledore reiterated the contents of his letter in a tone one would addressing an enraged troll Midori snuck a look at the Sorting Hat who murmured, "Walk your own path young lady, least you become lost on a path that others paved for you," all without opening its eyes.

She gave the Hat's words serious thought but knew the path she'd chosen to embark. Her father grew still as Dumbledore extoled the virtues of Ravenclaw House and repeated his concerns for her safety.

Dismissing Dumbledore's worries, Norman Brooks asked his daughter, "Do you wish to abandon Slytherin?" Midori's heart leapt to her throat, head shaking vigoriously.

A debate ensured. So palpable was the undercurrent of violence, watching Dumbledore and Norman Brooks reminded Midori of watching two army generals negotiating a treaty. Neither would budge a hair of an inch yet both were too diplomatic, no, too _shrewd_ to express outright hostility.

Had she thought Dumbledore a kindly old fool? How she'd been wrong! He was utterly terrifying, even more so than her father, a man who the Minister of Magic himself treated with deference!

Time and time again Midori opened her mouth to interrupt the men but like a slack-witted child faced with angry bickering parents standing in a messy kitchen of her creation she found herself unable to speak.

An interruption arrived in the form of James Potter and Sirius Black bursting into Dumbledore's office so violently dust from the shelves puffed into the air.

Potter cleared his throat, sheepish. "Pardon us, wrong office."

Dumbledore nodded. To Midori shock, he murmured, "Miss Brooks, perhaps you can ensure they head straight back toward their dorms? Curfew is approaching."

"Yes sir. Goodnight professor. Father."

Norman Brooks bestowed an absent kiss on her head before Midori scurried out with rather impressive speed.

"Who was that and what's going on?" Black asked, latching her arm.

Midori shook him off agitatedly. "I'm going to start deducting points so you boys better walk fast."

"Your girlfriend has anger problems," Potter complained as they descended the staircase.

"Yours is the definition of anger problems mate," Black replied.

"In no world is James Potter getting a girlfriend," Midori muttered.

She was _not_ charmed by Black's defense of her damn him!

As they stepped out from behind the one-eyed gargoyle, instead of heading toward the Gryffindor Tower Midori's companions effortless dragged her outside the castle, not that she gave much resistance, still shaken by the revelations of moving House in Dumbledore's office and trying to come to terms that her father was at Hogwarts.

Midori found herself blanketed in a heavy yet feather-light fabric. The feeling was not unlike running water sliding over her bare skin but so light she didn't known whether she imagined the sensation or not. As she explored the cloak with frozen fingers wonder overcame her.

"Is this… Is this an invisibility cloak?" It was finer than any she'd ever encountered.

This cloak was different. This cloak put her father's pride and joy to shame and Midori found herself envying its owner.

Most premium invisibility cloaks were rare, each were made from the hair of a Demiguise, virtually impossible to catch, and each hair costing a king's fortune. Obtaining enough hairs to make a whole cloak was incredibly difficult. Other high-quality cloaks sold were bespelled by powerful Disillusionment Charms but the effects of both Demiguise-haired or enchanted cloaks wore off over time but even new, nothing felt as silken as the cloak in her hands.

"Where did you get it?" Midori asked, reverent, ignoring Black's, "Shh."

"Been in my family since forever. She's a beaut, no rips or stains, as good as the day my grandfather passed it to my father and him to me." Potter said hurriedly, "Come on Brooks, walk faster!"

Midori's curiosity overpowered logic as they passed the Caretaker's Cottage and approached the Forbidden Forest.

Black cast Muffling Charms on their shoes and Potter weaved some spells around them. Midori opted to keep hypothermia at bay and cocooned everyone in a warm pocket of air.

Following a path barely marked, Midori found herself energized by the eerie stillness of the night, both spooked and enchanted by the darkness, adventure, the lure of the unknown calling something forth from deep within.

Black gripped her hand while the one gripping his wand cast around the darkness as if searching an opponent. Eyes straining, Midori kept her own wand tersely at ready as Potter guided them under a thick canopy where faint rays of moonlight struggled to penetrate through the cracks.

They walked until her feet protested. The ground grew uneven, muddy patches catching Midori repeatedly off-guard, ruining her beuatiful leather boots. Irritation replaced curiosity but still, the boys marched on, resolute.

Potter kept checking a parchment of some kind. Was it a map? It was a big map and appeared blank to Midori's eyes yet he referenced it like a sailor lost at sea.

She hoped he knew where he was going as not all creatures within the Forest were kind. Malice and mayhem lurked deep in the woods and her hand grew clammy at the thought of encountering a rogue werewolf.

Fatigue began to slow her down as a thick mist weaved over the pitch-black darkness until she couldn't even see her own feet. They were utterly lost and the castle was nowhere in sight.

"Where are we going?" Midori demanded as they passed a fallen sign warning of certain death should they continue their chosen route.

"Shh!" Black hissed in her ear.

"What if centaurs find us? They hate humans–"

"They won't find us if you keep quiet!"

"Where are we going? I'm not risking expulsion without knowing what I'm getting into!"

Utterly incensed, Black leaned into hear ear, nipping her earlobe sharp enough to sting. "Shut the hell up or head back Brooks. Alone."

"That's not a very lover-like attitude," Midori snipped.

It was a testimony to the gravity of their situation when Sirius kept his tongue, entangling his fingers into her hair, sliding to grip her nape.

"Remember the dead girl? These people may be responsible."

"Who?" Midori shievered, icy with knowledge she may confront murderers in the dark. If there ever was a time for a night-vision spell to be invented it was now. She was going to look into it _if_ she made it out of the Forest alive.

"Who?" She breathed shakily as Black began to pull her alongside him.

"Death Eaters."

"D-d-death Eaters?" No! It wasn't possible. Not at Hogwarts.

Hogwarts was a sanctuary. It was impregnable! Wasn't it?

Demons feasted on her doubts.

What were Potter and Black doing running around after curfew trying to catch Death Eaters? They weren't even grown men! They weren't even the Age of Majority! How could two students take on dark wizards?

They walked for what seemed like hours until Midori began to make out faint noises in the soup-thick darkness before them. Her terror came second to a stanch decision. She was not going to die without dragging someone to hell with her.

Laughter slid like oil through the air, cries of a child desperate for its mother, cries of a confused creature in torment but unable to escape.

"Somene's in trouble!"

A hand clamped over her mouth. Midori threw her head backward without thinking, pain blooming in her skull, stumbling forward, hissing as someone grabbed her and crushed her face into a chest. By the time she wiggled from the harsh embrace, Potter was trying to stem a bleeding nose and Black ceased trying to crush her with arms of steel.

"Not. A. Word."

Midori cast a light eating spell to protect their position before they crept closer.

Potter flinched when she tapped his nose and whispered, "Episkey. Tergeo."

They crept behind a thorny bush and Midori made out silhouettes circling a small blue fire. The flames radiated no heat. Instead, painful cries emerged from the center like an audio recording.

"Death to mudbloods! Hogwarts will be cleansed! Hogwarts _must_ be cleansed! We are the Knights of Walpurgis and we know our duty!"

The drunken declaration was saluted by bottles Butterbeer before everyone in the circle drank heartily.

Midori recognized the speaker's voice and found herself suddenly dizzy.

Bellatrix, she could've understood. She would've predicted, no, _anticipated_ the twisted girl taking part in something like this but that voice didn't belong to Bellatrix Black. It belonged to Kara Dravers.

Midori had never known Kara to complete a sentence without stammering and yet the seemingly shy wallflower seemed to have no trouble decrying mudbloods and articulating her opinion about their presence in the magical community.

When the group scattered, Midori felt drugged, unable to believe all that she'd just witnessed and experienced firsthand, out of sorts with reality and yet the ground never felt more solid or unforgiving beneath her aching feet. Her head throbbed, trying to process what she'd just witnessed as dawn lightened the forest.

"Why?" She croaked, shaking as Sirius murmured it was time to go.

The answer came when Black and Potter frog-marched her back to Dumbledore's office.

"We needed an unbiased witness," Potter said and Midori rounded on him. "What?"

"Miss Brooks. Have you ever heard of a Pensieve?" Dumbledore asked as the door shut.

Once a memory was selected the Pensieve allowed a viewer to experience the event as a third-party. The tool had been used since medieval times to determine truth prior to the invention of Veritaserum, and to overcome limitations of Veritaserum in court.

Midori's eyes widened as she spied a stone basin adorned with runes. To maximize clarity from extracted memories, the more intricate the basin the better, its effect enhanced by costly gems, flawless sapphires and rubies, diamonds the full spectrum of the rainbow, and color-shifting stones rare than blessed amber.

Her nose wrinkled, as did her forehead. Dumbledore wanted to look into her memories, she deduced from his expression, his words droning in and out her ear.

Then it clicked, what Potter said about an unbiased witness. Breath rushed from her lunghs.

"No. Absolutely not! You can't make me." Midori burst out, edging toward the door only to find Black blocking it.

"I'm afraid I must. And I can." Dumbledore replied as if a man addressing an obstinate toddler refusing to see sense.

Just who was this man, this imposter? Midori wandered, dazed. Surely he couldn't be Professor Dumbledore! "That's illegal! You can't _force_ someone to give up a memory without a court order!"

Potter hit her with a spell leeching her muscles of strength then plucked her wand away and pushed her into a seat.

"You can't do this. This… my father will…"

"No doubt will hear about this." Dumbledore said gently. "Let's not waste time Miss Brooks. You are a rather intelligent witch and certainly not one to hide behind ignorance. I assume you've heard rumors about a dark wizard, a certain self-styled lord on a crusade to revolutionize the wizarding word and cleanse the world of undesirable genetic stock by means of genocide on an unprecedented scale. Lord Voldemort, Miss Brooks. Are you familiar with the name?"

Midori blanched despite her resolve to betray no emotion. Dumbledore's incongruously gentle smile deepened, an unpleasant sight that told her Dumbledore was a foe she did not want.

In the same chillingly polite tone she'd heard him use on her father only hours earlier Dumbledore outlined the war about to be unleashed upon the wizarding world. He spoke of what Voldemort's followers were doing to the Muggle world and the plans he had for 'cleansing' theirs.

It was a moving pitch only she was the wrong audience. Why the Headmaster had chosen to recruit _her_ Midori didn't know yet she sat helpless, listening to Dumbledore paint a story so horrific she wanted the ground to swallow her right then and there.

He revealed her of the existence of a secret organization, the Order of Phoenix and their initiative to counteract Voldemort's growing influence, a grassroots effort that sounded rather pathetic but Midori kept her mouth shut.

Dumbledore sounded like a visionary, almost like a child declaring to take down a corrupt government system but Albus Dumbledore was no child even if his Order consisted primarily of Gryffindor students thus far.

The only question was, did she walk out the Headmaster's office with her memory modified or would she sign up to a strange cult she had no intention of signing on for?

"So you want me… to do what? Spy on my family? My fellow Housemates? To turn traitor or play puppet?" Midori croaked out as vivid blue eyes peered down at her through moon-speckled glasses.

"I'm asking you to choose a side, Miss Brooks. Should you decline no harm will come to you."

Like she'd believe _that._

"Why? Do all students get this opportunity to choose a covert extracurricular club? Why me? Do you summon every student into your office like this? I can't be that special – oh." Midori followed Potter's glance left, snarling, _"Black."_

"You're in the doghouse now mate," she heard Potter mutter.

It was _his_ fault.

Because to his _obsession_ getting into her pants, because he was in the stupid Order, and because of her background, because of Dumbledore's paranoia about where Black's loyalty lay and the potential he was a blabbermouth after sex _she_ was now being drafted into the Order.

It was insane. And yet the past week had been nothing short of madness.

At serious risk of having her mind invaded, permission be damned, Midori drew a breath.

Albus Dumbledore was a skilled Legimens.

While Midori had the requisite Occlumency training all Purebloods received before enterining Hogwarts she didn't relish the thought of pitting her rusty skills against the man who bested Gellert Grindelwald in duelling.

Midori wanted to shout at Sirius as he moved to her side and toyed with her hair but only managed a resentful mutter.

"I don't even _like_ you."

"Aww kitten, don't lie. Look I know it's overwhelming but this is important." He cupped her face and stared into her eyes, no longer the carefree thespian the world knew but earnest and defiant.

Why she so desperately wanted to put him at ease should've worried her but Midori was too busy looking into clouded gray eyes and wondering how she could ease his pain.

Oh shit, she thought as she realized what was happening. Oh shit. Oh shit, oh shit, oh _shit._

 _It was hard to get enough oxygen in her lungs as she tried to backpedal but it was too late._

She had no intention of falling in love. She was too young, Sirius Blac was _all_ wrong for her, and any relationship between them would be short-lived and tragic but that didn't stop her from loving him.

Realizing that she was definitely unable break the heart of the boy standing before her _sucked_ , in Dumbledore's office of all places, right after Dumbledore unloaded a bombshell about what reality was like outside the castle walls and threatened to steal her memories.

"If… _if_ I'm to join the Order…" Midori spluttered, turning toward the headmaster, "I want to – I _have_ to remain in Slytherin. And I want to be paid."

Potter and Black voiced outrage while Dumbledore calmly asked her price.

Thinking of her monthly allowance, she tripled it. Dumbledore didn't so much as blink an eye when he agreed despite Potter and Black's escalating fury and protests.

"You two can play heroes all you want, I'm a realist." Midori muttered. "I don't work for free."

After Dumbledore restored strength to her body with a potion, she gingerly stretched.

"We need to talk about your mercenary heart, babe," Sirius said darkly.

Midori scoffed. "Please, I can do so better than you."

His eyes flashed.

Her heart panged.

Lowering his voice as he ushered her toward the Pensieve, Sirius said furiously, "My uncle Alphard left me an inheritance. I have more than a few gallons to my name if that reassures your gold-digging nature."

"I don't want your money, I want peace and quiet," Midori snapped.

Alphard Black, the reclusive middle child of Pollux Black and Irma Crabbe was infamous for being solitary, frugal, and if rumors were to believed, rather successful selling merchandise and wares in the Muggle world. She couldn't believe Sirius wasn't dead broke, flinching he steadied her near the basin.

Midori stared into a bowl filled with wispy dense white gas too viscous to be gas yet too insubstantial to be liquid. The color varied between shimmery white and glistening silver, finely spun threads and cast adrift in an eternal gentle wind.

She watched Sirius, fearing for him, his expression unconcerned as one of the greatest and most powerful wizards in existence held a wand to his temple. Soon a memory was drawn, as silver and shimmery as the substance within the Pensieve.

Once deposited into the basin, Dumbledore turned to Potter. Another memory was extracted and then it was Midori's turn.

She held herself rigid and wondered if she was supposed to feel anything when Dumbledore's wand tapped against her temple. "Think of what happened in the Forest," he instructed, voice calm and melodic. Her mind automatically plummeted back to the forest.

Midori let out the breath she didn't know she held, tension draining as Dumbledore bent over the basin and lowered his head into the strange liquid vapor.

She turned and rolled her eyes as Black explained what falling into a memory felt like. "I don't care. I'm still mad at you."

"So am I you mercenary little witch."

A glance at the oversized grandfather clock hidden in the corner revealed it was almost five in the morning. She had class in a few hours. Contemplating faking sick again, Midori headed for the door.

Black shadowed her to the Slytherin Basement. To Midori's annoyance he followed her inside. She wanted to ask what he was doing then realized she didn't really care. It'd been a trying night, the most trying week she'd ever had.

Once inside her room she gestured the beds and said, "Pick one," to which Black responded with a gruff, "You pick and I'll join you babe."

"I have STDs," she muttered, heading for the showers. "Big ones. Bad ones."

"That's ok, kitten, we'll swap."

She slammed the door in his face stepped into the showers. The hot water washed away the grime but not the disgust she felt toward herself.

Pathetic. Utterly pathetic.

After a quick drying spell and realizing she had no towel, Midori expelled a breath.

Sirius had already seen her naked, in print if not in reality and she was too tired to care about the ramifications of confronting him naked.

He was asleep, one arm flung over his shoulder, sheets kicked off, half pooled on the ball. His incredible body was indecently covered, sprawled across a canopied bed with silk sheets, dead to the world.

No stamina, Midori thought wryly, cleaning him with a few charms then draping blankets over him with swift motions.

Pulling an oversized flannel shirt over herself she slipped beneath the covers and stuck her icy cold feet between deliciously warm and nicely defined muscular calves.

He wasn't for her, Midori reminded herself as she closed her weary eyes but stretched beside Sirius, she finally stopped dreaming of the dead girl with brown eyes discarded like a broken doll.


	8. Chapter 8

So I rated this fic M for a reason, and that reason is in this chapter although I did restrain myself. Apologies in advance for anyone with delicate sensibilities or still in possession of that mythical thing known as innocence.

 **Chapter Eight**

Midori was alone when she woke. Irritated and charmed that Sirius hadn't overstayed his welcome and spared them both an awkward morning-after (well not one in the traditional sense) she brushed her teeth and dressed, worrying whether he'd been seen leaving the House and whether or not he'd made it back to Gryffindor Tower intact.

By the time she entered the Great Hall Sirius was the least of her concerns. Ministry wizards and witches swarmed every table, their badges proclaiming them from different departments. Midori wondered whether one of the students had written home and concerned parents rather than Dumbledore himself had raised the alarm alerting the bureaucracy of the incident with the dead girl, a girl whose name she still didn't know, a dead girl whose last moments of agony preceding her death played like a tape record so acutely and clearly her spoon clattered into her porridge and she suddenly felt rather ill.

Bellatrix didn't show up for breakfast. Neither did Malfoy or his fanclub. Kara Nott was absent and it was Kara's absence that made her uneasy and suspicious. She wondered if all the no-shows were members of the… what had they called themselves – Knights of Walpurgis? – from the previous night. What did Walpurgis mean? Who was he?

Halfway through breakfast Midori realized she either had something contagious or had seriously bad B.O. for her housemates were avoiding her rather determinedly. Then it dawned.

Narcissa's expulsion had made her enemy number one of Slytherin.

To cap off the truly fantastic morning so far there was a rather fat Hufflepuff (some people would call her curvy but she was, in fact, a fat cow) hanging around Sirius. There were too many witnesses and the distance between the tables too great for her to hex the bimbo blonde so Midori returned to her meal only to screech minutes later when Sirius approached her.

"Go away!"

"Come on."

"Don't make a scene!"

"Then don't argue. Walk or be carried."

She stomped all the way to the Gryffindor table, refusing to hold Black's hand.

"Brooks, you wouldn't happen to know where Pa, uh, Sirius slept last night would you? " Potter said cheerfully when Black pushed her into a seat.

"Shut your filthy mouth," she smiled sweetly, grabbing his tie.

"Uh oh, Red. Incoming." Black said, pulling her back. Midori let go of Potter's tie belatedly and turned to smirk up at Evans. "Your eyeliner is crooked but your jealousy is perfect this morning."

Sirius muffled his laughter as he leaned into her ear and choked out, "Behave!"

"He's all yours, he's dull in bed." Midori said before Sirius yanked her from the seat.

"Come on you minx," Sirius chuckled, moving her down the bench. Bullying toast, scrambled eggs and bacon into her as she scratched out an essay for Charms the rest of breakfast passed in an idyllic bliss until a tawny owl dropped a letter onto her head.

Although the letter was signed from her father she recognized her mother's writing. Sirius grew stiff as he read over her shoulder and Midori felt helpless and angry, unable to defend herself. The letter, succinct and damning, congratulated her 'remarkable efforts' to bring Sirius back to the 'ride side' and rid him of his 'Muggles are equal' nonsense. Mother dearest had gone on to twist the knife, expressing her profound gratitude and pride in Midori's devotion to the Pureblood cause and level of commitment she'd undertaken to woo Black back to 'their' side. The final nail in the coffin was a letter from Walburga Black herself, the Black seal crest intact until she split oven a miniature envelope no bigger than an egg. Inside, the matriarch penned a letter wishing her success on reining her son in, and promising a substantial settlement on their marriage should 'the disappointment' see the light. The mothers had decided that even as an outcast and traitor Sirius was Pureblooded enough to be 'redeemed' should he align himself in marriage to Midori. And should be revert back to his 'delusions about equality' then the women felt any child beget from the couple were to be raised under their influence.

"Wait," she said, her voice unsteady even to her own ears as Sirius all but shoved her from him as he stood.

Judging by the tension and sheer fury radiating from him Midori knew he wasn't in the mood to listen. The breakfast he coerced her into eating felt heavy in her stomach and she flinched when he said in a low, emotionless tone, "Get back to your table Brooks before I do something I regret."

Head high and heart bleeding Midori told herself Black was an idiot, and she deserved better but her smile was brittle when she faced him and said, "Tell Dumbledore I've chosen a side. It's my own," and walked away. It wasn't until she passed the Ravenclaws that she realized she left her essay behind.

Silence spread as Dumbledore stood and Midori had almost made it out of the Great Hall when he began to speak. The Headmaster addressed the assembly of curious faces and stated anyone caught selling stories, however exaggerated, to the Prophet or any newspaper reporter would face expulsion. Furthermore, Ministry wizards were conducting an investigation surrounding the circumstances of Evette de Jour's death and all students were to cooperate. The Quiddich match was to be postponed and Midori walked away as shouts and groans erupted.

Forget Black, she told herself as she recalled Evette's lifeless face. There were bigger things to worry about. She had a Veritaserum to make… and maybe, just maybe, she'll look into an antidode for heartbreak.

/

He didn't know how he managed to get through the day but the second he entered the dormitories, Sirius locked himself in the bathroom and planted a fist into the mirror. The glass shards in his fingers barely stung, and he grimaced at the distorted reflection from the remaining glass pieces.

"You knew she was a bitch, you knew she didn't have a heart, you fucking knew she was a racist conniving Slytherin and yet you fell for her anyway," he snarled, the words raspy and rather thick. "This is on you, you fucking git. This is your fault so stop moping!"

Only three days ago he'd held that manipulative bitch in his arms, that naked, beautiful, defiant little piece of work in this very bathroom, and all the time she'd been plotting while he was falling for her. _Fuck her._

 _Yes,_ Little Sirius twitched in his pants, _please do_. Sirius glared down, thought about ripping the idiotic appendage off and felt himself respond in horror, shriveling as if in self-defense.

Damn her. Damn her black soul and perfect pouty lips. Damn her to Azkaban.

She'd played him but his ego was a mere scrapped knee compared to the bullets embedded in his chest.

Another fist into the mirror turned into a flurry of punches until the object was nothing more than broken shards littered all over the counters. Hands bleeding profusely and covered in a sheen of sweat Sirius stalked back out into the dorm, ignored Wormtail's alarmed squeal, and grabbed his broom.

"Hey slackers! I got detention this weekend. If we're going to cream Hufflepuff in the upcoming match we need to practice!"

He worked off most of his aggression on the Quiddich Pitch until the bludgers began avoiding him, and everyone nerve in his body screamed for relief. His fellow players trudged off the field after four brutal hours of practice and still the pain in his heart didn't dissolve or lessen a fraction. Despite the agony racking his body none of it diminished or distracted from the hurt welling in his chest.

Fuck her, he thought savagely. She didn't deserve any of his emotions and he wasn't some sappy fool to mourn a cold-hearted bitch. So dark was his mood that he didn't even bother to challenge Snivellery when they crossed paths, leaving his best mate to deal with the slimy git while he did his best to put Brooks out of his mind yet paradoxically trying to come up with a plan to ensure she didn't starve herself without resorting to force-feeding her himself.

Anger sustained Sirius, forcing him out of bed each morning. When the weekend arrived he set out with a vengeance well before dawn, neutering every unfortunate critter to scurry across his path not limited to cats. Upon encountering Midori in the dungeons he rushed her, pinning her against the wall and kissing her as if it was his last hour on earth before thrusting her aside and stalking off, leaving them both bewildered.

Before Midori could recover from the – she didn't know what had just transpired. An assault? A surprise make-out session? – Black returned. Fear, surprisingly erotic, spurred her to run. He caught her in a flying tackle but twisted so she landed on top. Grunting as he rolled until she was pinned beneath him, he snarled, "You haven't been eating," and in no time at all he'd placed a full Body-Bind Curse on her before carrying her into the kitchens. Black seemed to operate under some strange notion she couldn't feed herself and Midori wanted to hate him for it. She did hate him, she told herself sternly, he wasn't her keeper, and damn him for caring.

No words were spoken as he fed her chocolate sprinkled crepes amidst bustling House Elves. No sooner had she finished eating Black lifted the curse and stormed out. As she stumbled her way back toward the Slytherin Basements Midori experienced her first mental breakdown. One second she was walking, the next she encountered a fluffy white kitten and swooped it up. And just like that the waterworks begun. In the end Pomfrey had to be summoned and Midori spent the rest of the weekend in Hospital Wing.

It wasn't until Thursday that she was medically cleared. Sirius cornered her less than 24 hours after she escaped Pomfrey's clutches and dragged her into the nearest empty classroom after lunch on Friday, sealing the door and disarming her in the same breath. "I hate you," he snarled, having worried himself sick over the past few days and enraged to find her so pale and thin yet glaring up at him as if she'd been blameless.

"Do you do this to Snape too?" Midori spat angrily before Sirius kissed her senseless. Not that she had any common sense to begin with…

At first he was content to hold her, to taste and savor but Brooks being a spiteful kitten she was tore at his clothes until his shirt was in tatters with barely three buttons left hanging. He had no choice but to retaliate in kind until her ruined stockings pooled at her feet, her skirt bunched up over her hips, and perfectly manicured nails the color of midnight raked his bare chest while he stroked the soft feminine flesh covered by a flimsy lacy scrap of blue lace she called underwear and any sane man would call the ultimate tease.

"Why did you take Jenna to Hogsmeade?" She demanded, pulling at his belt while trying not to sob as a maelstrom of sensations threatened to shatter her.

Growing impatient Sirius shredded the lace and pressed two fingers deep into her, causing Midori to scream. He laughed then stopped abruptly as Midori brushed his erection by accident in her desperate attempt to depants him.

"Jenna!" Midori said, violently jealous of the girl he took to the Three Broomsticks and reported danced with when she'd been holed up in the library that rainy weekend pretending she was over him.

Sirius looked up abruptly, pulling Midori behind him but the room was empty.

"Where?"

"Not where, _Jenna!_ " Midori hissed.

 _Who the fuck was Jenna?_ He wanted to ask. Then he decided he didn't care. Pulling Midori back into his arms he demanded, "What color are your nipples kitten?" as he nibbled at her throat and fisted her hair.

"Jenna," Midori hissed and to show she meant business she undid his belt and reached into his pants. He hissed, going blind and momentarily paralyzed as she wrapped her fingers around his throbbing erection and gave a none-too-gentle squeeze. "Jenna," Midori panted, "the Hufflepuff! She has a huge ass and giggles like a twit!"

"Jealous?" He asked then winced as Midori tightened her hold.

"Fuck you."

"Soon kitten."

"You know what? I changed my mind."

In disbelief and no small amount of horror Sirius watched as Midori slid off his lap and darted out of reach before his body could catch up with what his mind was struggling to process. Reaching into his fallen robes she retrieved her wand and gave him a triumphant smile.

He recoiled as she pointed her wand at him and she laughed before turning the direction toward the floor.

" _Tetilix Reparo_ ," she muttered, fixing their tattered clothing.

He watched her dress the way a dying man looked at a length of rope being worked into a noose and stood bare ass naked and dumber than a troll when she was done.

 _Say something. Do something_ , he screamed at himself. "Babe," he said as his hand cradled his raging cock. "We're not done yet."

 _Anything but that you dumb git, she'll neuter you if you keep at it._

"Babe," he tried again but remained at loss for words.

Midori regarded him with narrowed eyes and decided to take pity on him. "You owe me an apology Black."

What the fuck? For _what?_ She was the one who left him with a case of blue balls so severe he couldn't even _move._

"I owe _you?_ " Sirius spluttered, incoherent.

"You lied to me. You said we were exclusive." Gone was her cool, Midori found herself shrieking and wished she could go back in time and slap herself.

Oh fuck me, Sirius thought, staring incredulously at the girl who was simultaneously the bane of his existence and love of his life, love be damned. "You said you didn't consider us to be in a relationship therefore the stipulations of such a contract are null and void." He reminded her. If she was puzzled by his choice of words (courtesy of watching too many Muggle shows) she didn't show it. In fact she didn't seem to hear him at all as the wand tip began wavering.

Mortification wasn't enough to stop her going banshee. "I let you _in my room._ You slept _in my bed!_ You _asshole!_ "

He ducked as her wand sailed toward his head, wondering why he'd ever thought Brooks was emotionless and cold. Her fury was definitely feminine, illogical and lava hot. "You were just trying to play–"

"Don't you _dare_ finish that sentence!"

"But that letter…" He began then stopped upon the look on her face. Naked disgust pinched her features but even that didn't disguise the hurt in the slight trembling of thinned lips or the way her body hunched automatically as if to reduce the area available for a blow.

"Give me back my wand so I can hex you." Her voice was barely a whisper but he felt flayed by the venom.

"You know what? I might let you but only after you explain about the letters."

Logic said they needed to talk, to have a rational discussion over the events that transpired and to clear up any misunderstandings but logic was not readily available as Midori trembled, besieged by emotion. "Go to hell!"

She turned and ran toward the exit but the sealing charm worked both ways. The doorknob refused to budge. Her knuckles turned white as she griped the stupid metal and twisted with desperation.

"Don't. Touch. Me." She spat when she felt calloused hands close over her arms. She stiffened as Sirius pulled her back into his chest – a still naked chest, didn't the idiot know how to dress himself?

"Midori. Kitten. I'm sorry." He rumbled then ruined the entire apology by continuing, "I'm not actually sure what I'm sorry for but I am. Truly. Sincerely. Sorry. Forgive me?"

"No." She said icily, melting a little inside. Just a _little_ mind you.

"Please?"

Her breathing hitched as he licked the shell of her ear and her thought process stuttered. "N-no?"

"Are you sure?"

Midori wasn't sure of anything, certainly not the wisdom in letting herself back into Black's devious clutches but like a moth rushing giddily toward the flame she simply couldn't help herself.

Under his ministrations and gentle coaxing she forgot her own name. He petted and stroked her all over, crooning nonsense into her ear and she was sure she purred like the kitten he called her as she rode his fingers, barely draw breath to scream since Sirius discovered her nipples were the shade of pinkish red as her tongue and licked them with delicate greed all the while withholding her impending orgasm.

Sirius nibbled at her breasts and a possessive, primitive delight filled him upon seeing his marks. Indentations from his teeth and darkening bruises mottled her pale skin and she was poetic grace and sensual lines, flowing like honey all around him. Few things in life were as gratifying as listening to Midori sob and beg, alternating midway at times as if she didn't know what she was doing or couldn't make up her mind what to say.

Finally he granted her mercy.

"Kitten? Are you going to come or continue playing shy?" Sirius asked, brushing her clit. Midori stiffened, eyes widening, glazing over as he repeated his motions, every muscle straining, locking…. Then, as suddenly as it began she collapsed, utterly drained.

Pressing a tender kiss to her sweat-dampened hair, then one creamy shoulder he waited until she began to shiver and dressed her with brisk motions.

"You…" she said hoarsely, a little confused.

"I don't have the concentration to cast a contraceptive spell," Sirius admitted tightly.

"Give me a second. I can do it. Unless…"

"I would be long dead and cold in the grave if I had STDs." He said to which Midori gave him an assessing glance. "You've slept with that many girls?"

"No. No sleeping was involved."

"You're an asshole and I don't like you," Midori snarled, storming off (well she gave a valiant attempt but her legs were a bit liquefied). He whistled as she bent over slowly, deliberately to pick up her clothes slowly.

Sirius cursed her without heat and growled, "Come back here," as his libido tried to kill him.

"I think lunch is almost over. I have class."

"Come here!" He thundered, and Midori's laugh captivated him as she spun, eyes gleaming.

"Do you still want to be exclusive?" Midori asked lightly.

Sirius sighed. "Yes. But we need to talk about the letter."

"And Evette's death."

"And the Order."

"Fine. But Sirius?"

He decided he liked his name on his lips and grunted. Midori's smile was a tad wicked as she said, "Will you take me shopping? It's almost Christmas and I'm a mercenary little gold-digger after all."

"I'll think about it." He said, wondering just how much truth was in that statement. He had intended to use the money his uncle left him to fund the Order, never anticipating a long-term girlfriend would enter the picture. Especially not one as costly as Midori Brooks.

The minx paused halfway through pulling on her stockings then sashayed toward him, an intriguing mix of innocence and daring. "Can I convince you?" He had a feeling she could convince him to sign over every last gallon and tried to put up a defense. He failed as she bridged the distance between them, dropped to her knees and licked her lips. "Kitten…" He croaked and that was the last word he'd managed to get out.

Five embarrassingly short minutes later Sirius leaned heavily against the wall, convinced he'd just had a heart attack. Midori giggled as she helped him dress and murmured, "You think we can convince our parents that you're willing to be seduced back to the 'right' side?"

"What are you plotting kitten?" He asked once he could speak again.

"A way for me to spy for the Order, get you back into your parent's good graces, and for us to date without incurring the wrath of _my_ parents."

"Only that?" Affection bled through the dryness. "I'm not sure whether I'm scared or impressed."

"I'm also working on getting the ingredients to make Veritaserum."

"Why?"

"Later," she muttered, not wanting to bring Bellatrix and the taint of the crazy evil bitch into the afterglow of some rather spectacular oral sex. "I'm going to be late for Herbology. You have class too. Hurry."

"I'm going to take a nap," Sirius said, feeling lighter than he'd ever remembered feeling. Once they left the classroom – his favorite classroom he'd decided – Sirius walked at a lethargic pace, resisting Midori's urge to hurry him.

"Babe, face it. We're never going to make it to class on time. It's almost three in the afternoon."

 _"What!"_ Frantically she cast a time-checking spell and the glowing numbers confirmed his words. How could time have slipped by so quickly?!

"Come on, I'm starving." Sirius said, ignoring her distress.

"I'm contemplating murder."

"Moody little thing, aren't you?"

Instead of heading to the kitchens he led her to Gryffindor Tower. Midori soon discovered that Sirius Black was a hoarder.

"Are you scared you're going to starve?" She asked derisively as he walked around the room unearthing an astonishing amount of room. Declining sandwiches compressed beyond recognition she watched him eat, disgusted and fascinated.

"Sirius?" She asked when he finally vanquished his hunger. Or not, she amended watching him tear into a packet of vanilla bliss fudge.

"What?"

"You should write a letter."

"I should?" He asked through a mouthful, clearly not paying attention.

"Yes. Stating your intentions to marry me." She said firmly and to Sirius's credit he finished chewing and swallowing before asking calmly, "Is that a proposal kitten?"

"Be serious!"

"I'm always -"

 _"Sirius!"_

"Babe, calm down. Why don't you tell me what I should write and who I should address it to?"

Summoning ink, parchment and a rather shabby looking quill Midori penned a boastful letter of her 'progress' with Sirius then found herself snatched painfully by a clearly agitated Sirius who, after much reassurance, decided to give her the benefit of doubt. Dictating rather tersely and unable to escape the steely arm banded around her stomach Midori helped Sirius write a letter to Walburga.

"I'd rather eat dung," he said, a sentiment he repeated as he tried to rip the letter once it was complete. It'd taken over an hour, cajoling and threats on her part, and a few kisses before he finally relinquished his death-grip on the mended parchment and let Potter's owl take it.

A yawn escaped her and Sirius reacted instantly. "I'm not tired," she protested as he levitated her up to his bunk. It was surprisingly roomy despite being not much to look at, and his sheets were clean and smelled lemony.

"I'm exhausted. You're exhausting." He stated emphatically and caged her inside his arms. Ignoring her protests he kissed her forehead and let out a loud yawn, right in her face.

"Sirius!"

"Shh, your caterwauling will land us in trouble babe." He muttered as he drew the curtains around the bed shut. "And don't even think about asking for a shirt to sleep in."


	9. Chapter 9

This will be the last update for a while. I'm sick again (my lungs hurt) and I'm being dragged off to hospital (not by choice).

"Why can't you take your laptop?" Because I don't want it to get stolen, that's why.

Farewell, my darlings. Hopefully not for long.

 **Chapter Nine.**

It wasn't Midori's caterwauling that almost landed them in trouble but Peeves. The resident poltergeist had woken Midori by blowing raspberries into her ear then cackled loud enough to wake the dead the second she pulled the curtains back.

"Oooh, oooh! Naughty naughty imperfect prefect!"

Groping for her wand (where the hell was the damn thing?) Midori had unwittingly grabbed a part of Sirius's anatomy that required more delicate handling as he bolted upright and almost threw her off the top bunk only to rip her back over the railing at the very last second, leaving them both disorientated and slightly dizzy.

"What the fuck?" Sirius muttered just before Peeves let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"GIRL IN THE BOY'S DORMITORIES! INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHING OCCURING IN THE SIXTH YEAR BOY'S DORMITORIES!"

"I'll explain later," Midori hissed, leaping blindly through the curtains and landing painfully. She raced for the bathroom just as the other occupants in the room began to stir and heard Potter mutter groggily, "'Oose wearing m'socks?"

"What are you doing?" Sirius followed Midori and groggily watched her strip in the bathroom. Blimey, it felt like déjà vu.

Normally he wasn't a man to complain when a gorgeous woman took her clothes off but if Midori's first instinct was to strip when trouble headed her way they were due for a serious talk.

"I'll explain later!" She hissed, making shooing motions with her hands, "Hide my clothes!"

As he complied, glumly wondering where he was going to go once he was expelled, Midori transformed into a sleek cat, darker than midnight, with a bushy tail and eerie blue eyes.

"Holy shit," Sirius said, to which the cat responded with a swipe of her claws in the direction. A hiss accompanied the motion occurred when he failed to act. "Clothes. Right." He said dumbly.

Excitement began to beat in his heart. Not only was she saving their asses but his girlfriend was a fucking Animagus. Talk about fate. Cats and dogs indeed. He laughed as he opened the bathroom window and threw out Midori's clothes, watching the wind blow them away over the Great Lake and beyond. Now what?

"Are you going to throw her out the window too?" Prongs asked stupidly, clearly still half-asleep when Sirius walked back out carrying Midori.

"Nah, just relax. Go back to bed mate–"

The door to their dorm slammed open and Professor McGonagall stormed in, fully dressed trailed by Peeves rubbing his hands together as if anticipating an early Christmas. Midori leapt from his arms and darted out. Sirius let out a breath of relief when the Gryffindor Head didn't bother trying to neuter her, instead pinning with a glare.

"I was doing my Transfiguration homework Minnie. Peeves obviously can't tell the difference between a mannequin and a real girl."

As Peeves began to protest McGonagall held up a hand.

In ominous silence that followed all the boys were roused from bed. McGonnagall demanded to know who was hiding a girl in the room to which every occupant but Sirius gave a confused look and muttered about damn Peeves while Sirius lazily unearthed some parchment and reiterated he'd been simply experimenting on a poor cat and attempting to imbue it qualities of a woman.

Clearly not believing any of them and ignoring Sirius's attempts to butter her up for extra points for his essay McGonnagall sent Revealing Charms casting about the room. After an hour (perhaps more but none dared argue about the late hour and their desperate need for sleep), no sock or dirty shirt was left unturned. Finally McGonagall delivered a stiff apology and dragged Peeves out the room by the ear using some invisible force Sirius wished he could replicate.

"I hope she crucifies him, or banishes him for once and all," Sirius muttered and everyone heartily agreed. After waiting ten anxious minutes he bounded downstairs and found a sleek black cat with a bushy tail curled up before the fireplace whereas every other feline occupant in the room were perched comfortably on couches and snuggled together.

"Back to bed kitten," he said, swooping her up.

"Since when did you become a cat person?" Wormtail asked when Sirius returned with his precious bundle. His friend harbored an extreme phobia, equal parts irrational hatred and fear of the creatures; one Sirius never understood but had shared (mildly) until tonight.

"Since, well…" He pressed another kiss to Midori's head and scratched her ears absently. "This one kinda grew on me. I'm rather partial to pretty things. Isn't she pretty?" He cooed in a rather unSirius manner. Wormtail stared at him.

"She looks rather scrawny to me."

Midori let out a hiss and stared unflinchingly at Pettigrew, who shrank back and dove back under his covers. "Night Padfoot."

"Yeah." Sirius said absently, turning only to find his best mate lounging on his bed. "Oi, Prongs. What the fuck?"

"Where did you find her?" Prongs asked, staring down at them. "If I have to clean cat litter or find dead rats on my bed she's gone."

Midori eyed Potter's pillow and decided she was definitely going to leave him a present sometime when he least expected it. Sirius climbed into Potter's bed and she curled up on his chest, yawning, stretching and kneading a little before finally dozing off, wondering if her clothes would give the Giant Squid indigestion…

 **/**

Sirius carried a feline Midori into the bathroom early morning and watched eagerly as she transformed back into her graceful elfin self.

"We can't," she protested when he back-stepped her into the shower, but after a few cleaning spells (she wanted to ensure the shower didn't have anyone else's germs on it!), silencing spells (this time she checked Sirius's work least Potter hammered on the door again) and two aborted attempts before Sirius managed to cast a contraceptive spell (which she also checked) the bickering couple managed a shower together that ended with a rather interesting assortment of injuries neither wanted to explain to Madame Pomfrey.

"You need to do laundry," Midori grumbled when Sirius handed her his only clean pair of robes. She shrank the material and changed the colors although there was nothing she could do about the Gryffindor emblem. She hoped no one would notice and secured a makeshift brooch over it while Sirius sniffed at his shirt and pulled it on.

Although the pair left early they found it impossible to sneak her back to the Slytherin Basement for overnight the castle had been breached by the Ministry. Security had been beefed up also: an army of cats patrolled the corridors, each wearing a collar carrying various Charms and Spells to be released at a moment's notice, although how the teachers trained the cats to alert of student welfare and watch over their safety seemed a bit far-fetched and fantastical but then again if anyone could do it, Midori would put her money on McGonagall.

There wasn't any time to discuss the reason behind her urgency to obtain Veritaserum under the watchful eyes of the Ministry officials over breakfast and she found herself groaning as she leaned against Sirius, patting her over-filled stomach.

Then the day begun, and it was a hectic schedule of classes and being interviewed by Ministry officials over the death of Evette.

Between making-up her all the work she'd missed out on during her stay in Hospital Wing, Sirius's upcoming Quiddich match, a surprise visit from her father that almost rendered Midori catatonic (Norman revealed his Dark Mark, demanded she give her loyalties over to the Dark Lord, and setting her the task of spying on Dumbledore), a meeting with Dumbledore do discuss her role in the Order (she'd resisted spilling the details of her father's visits for surely they'd send her father to Azkaban and her father, well, he was her _father_ after all), prefect duties and Sirius's newly assigned detentions (he was back to tormenting Snape and strutting about the halls of Hogwarts), before either of them knew it the entire week had passed.

Norman Brooks' visit had however transformed Slytherin House. Her fellow Slytherins were still against her relationship with Sirius who they viewed as a blood traitor but after being confronted by her rather intimidating father and most having received letters with strict instructions from their parents they kept quiet although the intensity and sheer number of sneers and eye rolls in Midori's general direction escalated dramatically.

She herself had barely been able to do more than steal a few kisses (well Sirius stole them but that's beside the point) between classes or at dinner before collapsing into bed each night, worrying about the future as more and more parents withdrew their kids from Hogwarts in such dark and uncertain times. Due to the increased security it'd been nearly impossible to sneak Sirius into her room.

All in all Midori was frustrated, sleep-deprived and stressed which did not bode well for Sirius, especially when he'd received a letter from his parents one evening and had no one but his shadow to console him as he read the contents then promptly set it aflame.

And the week the Gryffindor-Slytherin match occurred, well, it'd skipped her mind entirely. It wasn't until the following morning that she learned that Sirius Black sent Lucius Malfoy to Hospital Wing with a bludger to the head at the game. Gryffindor won by a narrow margin of twenty points and Midori didn't know whether to applaud or denounce her boyfriend's tactics when her entire House confronted her in the Basement. She'd only narrowly escaped a few stinging hexes by ducking behind one enormous Gordan Crabbe and the arrival of Slughorn. Midori could've sworn some of the cats had fetched him and she silently applauded McGonnagal's army of critters. They proved to be quite adept at their task afterall.

Before anyone realized what was happening the inquiry into Evette's death came to a close, Hogwarts housed more cats than ever and Christmas break had begun.

For the first time since Midori started studying at Hogwarts she didn't board the Hogwarts Express. Firstly she wanted to avoid her father and his increasingly fanatical madness about blood purity. Secondly, with the castle mostly abandoned, there was an opportunity to break into the storerooms for Potions and see if any Veritaserum ingredients could be obtained. And lastly, if she had to be absolutely honest with herself, well there was Sirius Black to consider. She was rather looking forward to spending time with him.

One evening, strolling about the grounds and _not_ holding hands because his were bloody freezing (the idiot didn't have gloves) Midori finally confessed her plot to ply Bellatrix with Veritaserum to which Sirius had responded by shouting at her and calling her idea sheer lunacy, urging her to go to Dumbledore.

"That man is not a god! You trust him so much yet he regards you as a mere pawn Sirius! One day he'll betray you! I just know it!"

But for all his faults Sirius Black was loyal… stubbornly, detrimentally so. She resisted the urge to kick his shins, or worse hex him, and like any girl with self-respect flounced back to her dorms and ate dinner alone, refusing to heed his owl letters.

The next morning he showed up inside the Slytherin Common Room with a bouquet of flowers enchanted not to wilt and a sheepish expression.

"I distinctly remember you demanding me to take you shopping. Shall we?"

"How did you even get in here?"

"You forget I have a little brother who is a member of this House."

"What did you do, blackmail him?"

He gave an unrepentant shrug and thrust the bouquet at her. "Charming," Midori said dryly.

Whatever Sirius had planned to woo himself back into her good graces (namely her pants) were derailed at breakfast when Prongs, pale and uncharacteristically tight-lipped, thrust the Prophet at them.

Midori didn't even read the headline, eyes glued to the Dark Mark taking up most of the front page. The byline screamed: DEATH BY THE THOUSANDS, A PURGING HAS BEGUN!

With a queasy stomach she read the article. Voldemort's rise to power was no longer an open secret but plastered and speculated across the Daily Prophet pages right before her. No one could deny he was just 'a story made up to scare folks' anymore. Witches and wizards were disappearing across not only the country but the world, Muggle communities were being attacked on an unprecedented scale, and Unforgivable Curses were suddenly in vogue as the number of tragedies and victims skyrocketed until deaths became but mere statistics in a column surmised each day on page three.

How long had this been going on, Midori asked herself, deeply shocked. Had she been one of those who dug a hole in the ground and stuck her head as deep as she could, blindly and resolutely trying to ignore what had obviously been in front of her eyes the entire time?

"I… I feel a bit sick," she said.

"We all do," Lupin said and she shook her head. He couldn't possibly understand. Glancing at him, she tried not to frown. His disappearances were most unusual but his friends acted as if they never noticed a thing. And the teachers hardly blinked an eye whenever he skipped class, to an extent that even she, a member of another House, had noticed. Wondering at his illness, for it was better than to dwell over her father and Voldemort, and her future, Midori ate in pensive silence while Black and Potter conversed in some sort of code with Lupin chiming in occasionally.

Just before breakfast vanished the most peculiar thing happened. Severus Snape, greasier than usual (didn't he _ever_ wash that hair?) approached the Gryffindor table.

"A word," he sneered at Potter. "And Brooks, are you that dense or are you not aware how there's been a bet circulating that should Black bed you many fortunes are to be made and broken?"

She wished she was confident enough to dismiss Snape's words as bitter lies but given the vehemence of Black's reaction (the _"Expelliarmus!"_ knocked him off his feet and carried him back fifty feet until he slammed into the far wall) and Potter's sudden look of guilt… it was a little too much.

"Wait!" Sirius hissed, bolting upright.

"We'll talk later." Maybe, Midori thought, slapping his hands away.

Merlin she was confused. She'd always thought she was secure in her identity, in which she was as a person. Midori Brooks knew her place in the world, what she wanted and where she wanted to go… but no longer. That had disintegrated like smoke. She was no longer sure who she was. Was she the daughter of a good man? Was she a fool who was being played and used not only by Black but by extension of his loyalties and commitment to the Order, Dumbledore?

She was no one's puppet.

Ignorant of her surroundings she almost screamed as she ran into a solid wall in the form of the Ravenclaw Seeker.

Sebastian Norman, Midori's ex-boyfriend who'd been suspiciously inconspicuous since Black began mailing her, peered down at her with a concerned expression and said urgently, "Miri, we have to talk.

"Don't call me that," she said tightly.

"Please! Meet me in the Ravenclaw Tower tonight. Seven." And with that cryptic parting he all but ran in the opposite direction.

Belatedly Midori turned to find Sirius Black looking murderous, advancing toward her rapidly.

"Still have a thing for Seekers?" He asked ominously as he reached her side.


	10. Chapter 10

Yay, I'm alive! Did anyone miss me? :D

Chrysanthemum7854: Ahhh, thank you for leaving a review! Who needs foreplay when there's banter, eh?

Guest: Now what fun would it be if Midori was the biddable, obedient type of girlfriend? Hehe.

 **Chapter Ten**

"Maybe," Midori snapped and found herself shoved into a broom cupboard that she'd never noticed before. It wasn't a typical broom cupboard – there was a distinct lack of brooms and other cleaning supplies. And it smelled, oddly, of pine and cinnamon.

Pushing aside a stack of clean towels and linen (Hufflepuff sheets judging by the color scheme) Sirius seated her on the cleared bench and snarled, "I'm spanking that word from your vocabulary."

"I'm getting sick of being manhandled like this," Midori began but he sealed his lips over hers, swallowing rather her legitimate protests.

"Do you have any idea how much I paid for those photographs?" Sirius asked between punishing kisses. It took Midori a shamefully long time to clear her head and understand what he was talking about and by then she was naked while he was still fully dressed. She wanted to protest at the unfairness but he was distracting her.

"I hope he bankrupted you," she whimpered, fighting half-heartedly as he caged her wrists and bound them overhead, containing them with one hand. The differences in their sizes shouldn't be such a turn on and yet she was leaking copious evidence of just what he did t her. Her nipples puckered tight as he stroked and caressed her, making speech difficult and thought near impossible.

"We had a deal." She reminded him, clarity returning momentarily when he pulled off his tie.

"Yeah well, I'm changing it. You need to be humbled a little."

"Wh-what?" She spluttered.

"Mmhmm. You're so soft pretty girl" Hands delved between her tightly clenched thighs and pried them open with some effort. He caught a glimpse of glistening pink secrets before she tugged his head back up and hissed, "Hurry up, we'll be caught!"

The thrill of being discovered kicked lust to a new dimension.

"Mm, perhaps but you have a little voyeur in you kitten. I spent so many nights watching you play with yourself, I drove myself insane." Sirius confessed roughly, grey eyes glittering with emotion as they stared into languid blues. "You should see what you do to yourself in those photos kitten." Shoving his pants down, boxers and all, he snarled, "Look at what you do to _me_. _Feel_ what you to me!"

Embarrassment, anger, and heady desire turned her cheeks crimson even as she obeyed and curled her fingers around a raging red cock. "Not my fault. You're not sane to begin with." She panted as Sirius let out a long agonized hiss.

"My favorite photo involved you–"

"Stop talking. Kiss me."

"Gladly."

She needed to forget about the deaths, and the impending Wizarding War that she had no choice but partake action in. She needed to forget and Sirius was so good at making her forget. Bolts of white-lightning sizzled and seared her nerves with each devious stroke of his clever, wicked fingers, and she sought revenge by squeezing and cupping him until his knees buckled. Her pants filled the air, his groans punctured his heavy bellows and her body grew taut as a as she became mindless to everything but the need for gratification. And just on the precipice, on that maddening edge of bliss… he stopped.

"You… bastard… finish," Midori panted.

He did nothing more than tease, retreat, and repeat until her body drew as taut as a bow.

A broken scream stifled by his lips preluded absolute silence as Sirius abruptly pulled her onto his erection, impaling her. The angle was sharp, unexpected and the force gave her no choice but to accommodate him. He swallowed her scream and stroked the dimples in the small of her back, adding a dozen smacks across her buttocks as he waited for her to adjust to him, the resonating vibrations from the action causing them both to shudder and groan.

The pressure, heat, and friction of Sirius Black felt exquisite. Midori's vision turned white, her blood evaporated within her veins as he slid his hands beneath her buttocks and withdrew with deliberate slowness. Her legs tightened automatically as if to counteract his retreat, her breath stuttered as he surged back into her body and less than a dozen strokes later she splintered into a million shards of delight.

"I'm not bloody done," he snarled, spanking her as she collapsed into his chest. Ripples of sensation shot through her, the pain transforming and melding with residues of her orgasm. Midori barely heard him whispering in her ear, floating on waves, each tidal wave of sensation slamming over her, drowning, and pulling her under…

When her sensual haze faded enough for her to register Sirius's savage and drawn expression, Midori blinked lazily up at him and asked, "For someone having sex, you're a bit grumpy."

"I'm not bloody done," he said, husky and hoarse, trying to hold laughter at bay. "Hold on."

It wasn't enough of a warning. She lifted off him in paradoxical reaction to a series of slaps he delivered to her bottom and she gasped, scrambling to hold onto his shoulders as he made rather ferocious love to her while laughing at the same time. Despite the bizarreness of his methods Midori found herself shattering again, blind and deaf to the world.

"Should I be feeling self-conscious?" She asked through a yawn when she peeled her cheek of a sweaty male chest.

"Hmm?"

"You're not supposed to laugh at a girl during sex, Black." Midori said without rancor. She was too relaxed, too content than do more and blink up into glittering gray eyes and squint a little.

"You sure have a way with words kitten," Sirius replied, sounding as if he was being strangled. He gathered their clothes with the aid of his wand, chuckling as she batted his hands when he hindered more than helped her dress. A quick spell restored her hair and Midori cleansed the room thoroughly before they slipped back into the halls.

"Stop it," Midori muttered as Sirius strutted beside her wearing a smirk the size of Vanessa Moben's hair. They passed a few students on their way to the dungeons, and Midori hastily checked for the presence of cats before casting a Perception Charm over herself and Sirius.

"Babe, I can go get Prong's cloak." Sirius offered, but she shook her head.

"We need to be able to move without worrying about stains or rips. Do you know your way around the lower levels?"

"I know this place like the back of my hand." He scoffed, grabbing her hand. "Where to, kitten?'

"Slughorn's private storerooms."

"You know, we could always pay a seventh year to get us the ingredients," he mused but Midori shook her head. "The version they are permitted to make is diluted and modified. It's not the original version. Veritaserum is a potent, powerful tool and we only have one chance to get this right."

"I still think Dumbledore should know–"

"I don't see the Headmaster forcing Veritaserum down Bellatrix's throat, do you? Besides, her parents would ensure Hogwarts closed if he did. She's too slippery, too sly, and Dumbledore's got too many things on his plate."

"Fine. But I hope you realize what you're getting yourself into. Using Veritaserum without Ministry approval is punishable by life imprisonment."

"Are you lecturing _me_ about rules Black?"

"One of us has to keep a conscience. Between you and me, I don't think you'll do well in Azkaban. I'm just looking out for you, kitten."

"Right," she drawled, turning at a fork and starting down a dimly lit section away from the Potion classrooms until they stopped before a gateway of charmed iron. "Show me what breaking and entering skills you've got Black. I don't think _alohomora_ will suffice here."

Alohomora did not but several versions of the forbidden Aperiouas did the trick. "Impressed?" Sirius drawled, as he pulled Midori through.

"Maybe," she admitted, giggling as he scowled at her poor word choice. "You're smarter than you look Beater boy."

"Clearly I didn't spank you hard enough."

"It's because you don't have any muscles." Midori informed him disdainfully.

He lifted her with one hand and threw her over his shoulder, ignoring her furious struggles and threats as he muttered, "I can't believe I'm attracted to you. No muscles? Babe, you've felt every _inch_ of my muscles. _Lumos._ Take a good look Brooks."

"Oh Merlin, this isn't the time. Your penis isn't a muscle idiot. Put me down before I set your shoes on fire!"

He grunted, wishing he had another hand to smack her ass with as he complied. Midori lit her wand and wrinkled her nose as a sour, mossy odor and staleness began to intensify around them.

After Sirius disabled alarms and traps Midori found herself inspecting a variety of ingredients and shelves in cramped rooms, each more fetid than the last filled with jars of bizarre, gruesome, and occasionally unlawful. Following a traumatic encounter with pickled uniform fetuses Midori suggested taking turns but Sirius adamantly refused, arguing his size and bulk weren't designed to squeeze into confined areas and insisted he had a weak stomach.

"Merlin," Sirius said after three hours of careful searching, every pocket of his robes bulging, "Just how many ingredients are there?"

"Fifteen." Midori said grimly, "The first five must be added at one minute intervals during a full moon, then left to mature for twenty-seven days. Three ingredients are to be added in a precise order at precisely the following full moon, and ten during witching hour beneath a cloudless sky until a colorless and odorless liquid is achieved."

"Well," Sirius said, thinking of the intensely pigmented and colorful variety of plants and roots in his pockets, "This should be interesting. How many more ingredients do we need to find?"

"Nine," she said grimly. "I think I may be able to persuade Professor Sprout to let me poke around some of the Greenhouses and order some if I convince her I want to study properties of rare plants for healing purposes… but there's no way Kettleburn will sign off on importing a live pixie for its wings to be scarified as per instruction."

"Would you really tear the wings off a pixie?" Sirius asked, sliding her a sideward look.

"I'd ensure he didn't feel any pain first!"

"Disfigurement without pain. I guess your heart isn't as black as I'd thought."

"Do you want to make Bellatrix talk or not?" Midori asked crossly. "We don't have many options! It's not like we can retrieve her memory and use the Pensieve."

"Alright, alright, settle yourself kitten. Here, this is the last cupboard. This one's warded pretty extensively. I wonder what secrets Slughorn is hiding?"

A chalice of remora spines, vials of mermaid tears, sunbeam hair, and the horn of a Poukekai, each worth a fortune in the black market but none useful to Midori. Well, perhaps the mermaid tears for they were used in an Eternal Youth Potion, and she had no plans of suffering the visible effects of aging beyond thirty (twenty-five, if her skin showed signs of wrinkles).

"Do you think we should pinch stuff to make Prophylactic Solutions," Sirius asked as they began to head back toward the main dungeons.

"Not unless your wand word is so shoddy I have to explain myself to Madame Pomfrey, Dumbledore and possibly my parents," Midori said, suddenly paranoid.

"Relax kitten, I want a kid less than you do. The only thing I cannot manage to do with a wand is show restraint. Why are we carrying both our weight in ingredients? Surely we don't need that much Veritaserum."

"Practice, and backup in case something goes wrong. I'm going to make parallel batches."

"Has anyone told you you're an overachiever?"

"I prefer the term perfectionist."

"Right." He sighed, suddenly worrying for his future. "How many batches are you making kitten?"

"Thirteen, at least. Remember that next time you piss me off."

I'm screwed, Sirius thought glumly, vowing to never eat any meal or accept beverages from Midori. He was _so_ screwed.

\\\

At quarter to seven Midori rapped on a keyless door with a bronze eagle head in lieu of a doorknob.

"What is often perceived yet rarely believed?"

"Truth."

The door swung open and she stepped inside, finding Sebastian anxiously waiting by the windows overlooking the Quiddich Pitch. The entire room was deserted. With Voldemort's coming to power the entire school had mostly been deserted but for a handful of Gryffindors (mostly orphans or those who led miserable lives at home), Hufflepuffs (those who didn't do well over the school year and wanted to avoid parents), and one anxious Ravenclaw standing before her dressed impeccably as if embarking on a date.

"Miri! You came!"

Ignoring the proffered roses Midori slid her hands on her hips and demanded. "Well? I have a lot of questions and little patience for you. Speak."

"Look I can explain about the pho–"

"Don't care, give me the money."

His eyes widened, as if he hadn't anticipated such a demand. "Right, well. The thing is…"

"Don't make me hex you," Midori warned him. She had twenty odd cauldrons bubbling in her room and one extremely irate boyfriend because dinner was running later than usual for there'd been some commotion down in the kitchens.

At any given moment he would probably start prowling through her panty drawer because he didn't understand the notion of privacy.

There were Greenhouses to be broken into this very night and she needed plenty of time to prepare antidotes' to some of the venoms that may be encountered within. Her parents had changed their minds and wanted her home for Christmas, and to bring Sirius with her. Everything was coming to a head and she was stretched for time.

"I missed you Midori."

"Don't even start, just tell me why I'm here and hurry up."

"Look, I get that you're angry," Sebastian tried again.

She gave him a cold sneer. "I'm furious Sebastian. Absolutely furious. You're wasting my time." She had a boyfriend to placate, parents to lie to, potions to tend, and her hair was having a bad day. When Sebastian remained silent, rather taken back by her foul mood she informed him, "I am _this_ close to giving you facial reconstruction surgery."

"It's…" He reached into his robe and retrieved a tattered letter. "I…" He gave her a pleading look then offered it with palms outstretched.

It was a letter from her father to Sebastian three months ago, dated a week before he dumped her unexpectedly. With growing horror the contents revealed her father's plan for her in the upcoming Wizarding War.

"He gave me a choice." Sebastian said painfully. "Join him. Or… but I realized you weren't like that."

No, she wasn't. There was no anger, no bitterness over the fact that Sebastian had misjudged her or leapt to conclusions. Over the past few weeks she'd changed dramatically. She'd never loved him, he'd bruised her heart but that was all it was – a bruise, a dented ego, a blow to her pride. She realized that now.

"Why didn't you show me this earlier? Why didn't you tell me?"

He flinched. "I…"

"I have to go," Midori said softly.

This, she thought with a sinking stomach as she shoved the letter into her robes, _this_ was something to take to Dumbledore.


	11. Chapter 11

My longest chapter yet! I had something entirely different in mind when I began writing and ended up with this so any critique (about the pace, flow, etc) is welcome.

Desiree: Stay tuned for more hot scenes ;) Oops, I totally forgot. Hmm... that'll complicate the plot indeed. Oh wow, you've found the perfect model! _Yessssss._

 **Chapter Eleven**

Midori was rudely intercepted by Filth just outside Dumbledore's office. Staring at the haggard caretaker with a brief deer-in-the-headlights expression she quickly donned her default sneer and reminded the cranky old man that curfew was still two hours away. He accused her of causing trouble nonetheless, to which she responded with an icy, "You think _I_ would graffiti the bathrooms? I do not _use_ public bathrooms you odious squib!" Her barb hit the mark, Filch turned a mottled plum-puce and his eyes bulged from his head. She took the opportunity to run and kick Mrs. Norris, the animal in the world Midori, animal lover extraordinaire, did not like, before fleeing as Mrs. Norris had the eerie ability to summon Filch faster than any Summoning Charm.

After much searching Midori eventually came to the conclusion that either all the teachers were holed up somewhere having a party or they'd been kidnapped. Neither Flitwick, Slughorn, McGonnagal, or even Sprout were to be found. Kettleburn was absent from both his quarters and the teacher's lounge. Even Trelawney, the silly old kook, wasn't in her attic.

By the time Midori circled to Dumbledore's office after narrowly escaping death by stairs (it was the quickest route and time was urgent given the curfew coming and Filth's personal vendetta to give her detention) the office was empty. Fawkes was weeping and Midori sympathized. Folding the letter up and sealing it with a quick spell, she tossed it atop a pile of Dumbledore's correspondences, secretly relieved not to endure a grilling by the headmaster about her father's activities, no longer covert.

She had to give Black credit, he really taught her a thing or two about navigating the death-traps as Midori raced back to the Basement.

Upon her return she discovered Black had indeed gone through her panty drawer. The room was like a sauna, with twenty cauldrons bubbling away while most of the furniture and her expensive clutter were piled onto two beds lined side by side.

"I took the liberty of separating them into a _to keep_ and _hell no_ pile," he informed her. Midori rolled her eyes, sent a light hex at him which he easily dodged. "I keep you on your toes, beater boy," she informed him when he demanded what the hell she was playing at.

Glumly returning her attention to the potion at hand. Technically Veritaserum required fifteen ingredients but there were an additional three that moderated its potency. She was still without nine critical ingredients and there was Christmas dinner to be endured at her home in five day's time.

Midori suppressed a shiver, trying to reconcile the home she knew and the manor that housed a visitor in the form of Lord Voldemort. Her father was becoming a stranger before her very eyes. Fanatic was no longer an apt term, he was outright… racist. And the uncomfortable term made her all that more sensitive, for terminology was how a person framed another person's identity in one's mind, and she just couldn't quite use such a horrible term to label the man who raised her.

Lost in her own thoughts she startled when Sirius came up behind her and wrapped arms over her stomach. "You're so tiny," he said, hunching down until his chin rested on top of her head. She let out a long sigh, wishing she could confide to him about visiting Sebastian and the disturbing letter but knowing Sirius he'd only concentrate on his jealousy and the last thing she wanted was to pacify an irrational male. Midori leaned back, absorbing his warmth and strength, trying to relax. His hands traced circles over her stomach and something hard began to poke in the small of her back.

"Don't even think about it."

He thrust his hips in response and Midori sank her nails into his forearm, eliciting a groan. "Damn it kitten."

"I'm not in the mood. I can't believe father's summoning us for Christmas," she said, and Sirius mumbled into her hair, "You really know how to kill the mood. What do you want for Christmas?"

World peace, Midori thought, closing her eyes. And if not that, the safety of herself, Black, and she supposed because of his unstable sanity, the safety of his loved ones even if it included James Potter. Suddenly weighted by the horrors of what awaited life outside the castle she turned in his arms and tiptoed upward, brushing a kiss over his Adam's apple.

"Bend," she commanded then shrieked in his face as he lifted her until they were face to face, her feet dangling somewhere near his knees.

"Don't. Tease." He bit out, face contorted with agony.

He was so easily riled.

"Me?" Midori opened her eyes wide, aiming for an innocence she hadn't known in years, then whispered, "My panties are wet Black. What are you going to do about that?"

He did plenty. She screamed only twice throughout the hour. Maybe more but it was impossible count and even harder to remember. By the time she found herself in bed, curled around him like a sated cat, she knew without a shadow of a doubt that Sirius Black had gotten to her.

She wasn't falling in love with him anymore, it was a done deal. He stroked her hair, marveling at the silkiness of it while Midori talked herself down from a panic attack. There were so many unknowns, especially when contemplating a relationship with Sirius Black.

Despite her age, and because one of them had to be in a relationship, Midori was quite mature. She knew if they were to make it to a long-term thing, some serious plotting and concessions had to be made. Her family, his family, the Wizarding War erupting across the world, their role to play in Dumbledore's Army, everything needed to be accounted for.

Another glum thought entered her mind, ruining her post-coital glow, and it was the first thought Midori entertained the notion that she was not likely to sit her N.E. in seventh year. In fact, she couldn't envision graduating Hogwarts at all. There was a war happening, what difference did good grades make if the Ministry was being infiltrated, and the entire hierarchy of how their world functioned was being dismantled one death at a time?

"Sirius?" She struggled to put thought into words. "Sirius," she repeated, turning. He was fast asleep, sprawled on his back, one arm anchoring her to him to prevent escape.

"Figures," Midori muttered, "He really has no stamina."

Her stomach pinged with hunger, her thoughts continued coalescing out of control until she made herself afraid. Closing her eyes, sick at the thought of Christmas dinner, terrified at the thought of dropping out of school and living off-grid while she played master spy for Dumbledore – but wait, her family would shred her to pieces if she dared drop out of Hogwarts… but remaining in school was hardly effective if all she could do was eavesdrop on Bellatrix's drunken boasts and only by sheer chance – her thoughts grew muddled until finally Midori sank into an exhausted sleep.

\\\

A loud crack jolted Midori out of a vague, hazy nightmare in which she was running toward something, perhaps a Portkey, but unable to make it in time. Heart hammering, wand in hand she lit the room with a terse, "Lumos," and stared into a very familiar, bloody and battered face of a small creature with large upright ears and a hairless snout.

"Lulu!" She was on her feet in an instant, alarmed at the state of the House Elf enslaved to the Brooks family.

"M-mistress." The poor thing could barely speak, evidently terrified. "L-lulu is sos-so-sorry for d-di-dis –"

" _Who did this?"_

Lulu recoiled as if struck and Midori tempered her tone, trying to conceal the fury. "Who did this to you?"

The House Elf had been a nanny and friend in her youth, a guardian angel always watching out for her welfare, taking both a parental and companion role like that of a surrogate aunt and pet dog. To see Lulu in such a state, almost black with bruises, was like taking an unexpected punch to the gut.

"M-m-master N-norman h-has a g-guest. V-v-very i-important. L-l-lulu s-spilled tea." Each word was barely audible, Lulu looked as if she was gripped by an unseen force, barely able to breathe.

Midori had an icy feeling on who her father's important guest was. In any other circumstance she would've giggled at the thought of a mere House Elf spilling tea on the Dark Lord but the situation before her had nothing to suggest comedic relief. Poor Lulu had clearly been punished, more severely than anything Midori could've imaged, and despite the House Elf's strange brand of magic that would aid her healing Midori knew Lulu was suffering broken bones and internal bleeding, if not a broken heart. House Elves were strange creatures, loyal and sometimes blindly so in serving a master. She'd always shuddered such a fate, wondering if the House Elves ever dreamed of freedom but Lulu had expressed forbidden the topic venue when Midori asked in her youth, and she never had the heart to ask again.

"L-lulu m-must be n-near m-master o-or a f-family member," the House Elf said pleadingly, "F-f-forgive."

Midori nodded, heartsick and wondering if Madame Pomfrey knew anything about healing injured Magical Creatures.

Lulu wasn't free to run, not even if her life was in danger. Some ancient magic chained her, ensured she would always return to her master. Unless given express orders to carry out a Master's wish, she wasn't free to roam or wander. Midori's heart ached for the House Elf. She never considered the welfare of other creatures until that very moment.

"Lulu," she said firmly. The House Elf stilled suddenly but for the violent trembling of her lips.

"Is there anything I can do? Any spell I can use to help you numb the pain? I know minor healing spells but I don't know how they'll affect non-humans."

"M-mistress is k-kind," was Lulu's reply. Midori bitterly wished she'd been kinder to the servant she'd always taken for granted.

"L-lu-lulu s-strongly s-suggests M-mistress avoids Christmas dinner," the House Elf said and the words were a betrayal of her loyalty to the master who brutalized but owned her. Midori nodded, still wishing the evidence before her wasn't so damning. She wished she could pretend Voldemort punished Lulu but punishing one's House Elf was a right reserved only for the creature's master… and had Voldemort truly punished Lulu the Elf would be dead.

There was a strange glassiness to Lulu's eyes, a fear so profound it corroded the soul and stripped it of all hope. "Lulu, if I were to give you a scarf… would that free you?" It was only through Professor Binn's drones three years ago that she learned a House Elf could be freed, but when she tried to present an item of clothing to one of the Elves in her room making the bed the poor creature had burst into tears, fallen on its knees and begged for forgiveness, then deeply ashamed vanished to seek out Dumbledore, who'd latter invited Midori into his office and asked for the misunderstanding to be straightened out.

But Lulu was not the Elf that Midori had unwittingly tried to sack out of kindness. A desperate gleam of hope ignited deep within those spherical brown eyes and Midori silently padded to her dress, taking out her favorite scarf, a shimmery fabric that appeared off-white but reflected the colors of a muted rainbow in sunlight as if a thousand diamonds, emeralds and rubies were crushed and caught inside the cloth.

"Here Lulu. Take it," she said firmly, and knew she had closed a chapter on her life. There would be no Christmas dinner at the Brooks manor. There would be no opportunity to way goodbye to her family or apologize to her mother. There would be no chance of collecting all the sentimental items she'd grown attached to, or a way to haul a king's ransom in clothes to safety. With her deed she had cut herself off from the family, effectively turned her back and declared (rather passive aggressively) that she'd taken a side on the War and it was not the one her family would be pleased with.

Midori didn't know if, or how her parents would be alerted that they no longer had a slave to carry out chores in their fifteen-bedroomed estate but she moved quickly. "Go, Lulu. Anywhere in the world. Hide. Be safe. And one day, if everything turns out alright, come find me if you can."

Pressing a kiss on the seemingly shell-shocked House Elf, Midori infused authority into her voice and snapped, "Go Lulu! This is the last order you shall heed, go and _hide. Be safe!_ "

The Elf opened her mouth, shrank at the look on Midori's face then a loud crack echoed throughout the room. There was no evidence of the visit, none at all, but for an opened drawer, one missing scarf and the gaping hole in Midori's chest where her heart should've been.

Silently, she began to pack. It shouldn't distress her so that she had to leave her pretty dresses behind as she selected clothing that were sturdy and good for travel. Once she crammed as many necessities into the charmed bag that beheld far more than its visible finite dimensions Midori scourged the cauldrons with grim thin-lipped stoicism then tried to remind herself that at least she didn't have to deal with Bellatrix anymore.

Since she had no friends, none that she could trust that was, Midori was suddenly profoundly grateful for Sirius's role in her life. Blackmail or not, whatever the odd intricacies of fate that had guided him to play such a pivitol role in her life was now a blessing.

With a spell mimicking an air horn and blast of water Sirius Black had a rude awakening as he literally fell out of bed and turned to see his girlfriend of a few odd days looking as if she was ready to hand him divorce papers and sue him for all that he was worth. Before he could speak, or locate his wand, she began to talk.

As explanations went he had to give it to her, even if he was rather pissed about the way she chose to demand his attention. And Midori had to hand it to him, he didn't so much as blink an eye as she asked him to drop out of school with her so she wouldn't be alone hiding from her family.

"I'll get dressed. We'll grab Prongs and head to his. Moony's, uh, he's in Hospital Wing and Wormtail, we'll let him know what's–"

"No. You get to pick one friend to tell about where we're going and since Prongs? Why is he called that? But since Potter is the one we're going to ask to aid us then we have no choice. _Do not tell anyone else Black, you may consider them friends but I have trust issues_."

"Tell me about it," Sirius grumbled as he dressed. "Fine. Do we have time to get my shit from Gryffindor Tower or am I going on the run in bloody jeans?"

"What's wrong with jeans?" Midori asked sourly. Sirius's dark mood doing nothing to alleviate hers, and she'd just had her heart broken damn it. He could at the very least show some sympathy.

"Just buy some more clothes later." She snapped, growing impatient as he took his time sniffing his shirt and deciding whether or not it was worthy to cover his body. Unfortunately cleaning spells only _cleaned_ the cloth, there was nothing it could do for odor.

"You smell fine, let's _go_."

"Just what is your hurry? It's not like we can Apparate out of here. And we're both underage, have you forgotten the Ministry can found us faster than a hound after a bleeding rabbit once we use magic off grounds?"

Midori stilled. "We can use magic at the Potter's, if his parents are willing to harbor us until we get on our feet. Maybe we can hide out in the Muggle world until we are of age. When's your birthday?"

"June 18th."

"That's sixth months away!" Midori exclaimed, dismayed. "I turn seventeen in January!"

"It'll be hard but I can do without magic, although you'll have to hide my wand until June."

"No, you don't understand! _I'm_ always going to be the adult in this relationship because I'm older than you!"

He glanced at her as he transformed the cauldrons into innocent paper origami doves then it dawned on him. Almost incredulous he asked, "Are you really that bothered I'm a few months younger?"

"Yes," Midori said, glancing around her room one last time. Goodbye Hogwarts, she said silently. She was going to miss this place. She was going to miss the certainty of having food available and the convenience of hot showers once the Potters kicked them out. How long could she and Sirius stay until they wear out their welcome, she wondered. If she had money she would pay them but then again money was poor compensation for someone as rich as the Potters. And no amount of gallons could ease someone's apprehension of harboring fugitives. Knowing her father as Midori did, and given Norman's role in the Ministry, they would no doubt be classified as fugitives.

In Muggle books and movies teenagers running away together was considered romantic and a grand adventure. How tragic reality was nothing like fiction. Midori wondered if she should alert Slughorn or McGonnagal, give them a courtesy warning should they panic when they did a headcount in the morning or something.

Running away was complicated business. Sirius hoisted the bag from her and dismissed her womanly assertion of independence, pointing out that since she thought his muscles needed defining he needed the workout. He was a gentleman, she thought hiding a smile, not an old-world chivalrous sort but the type who wouldn't look out of place in a biker bar among the leathers and tattoos, the boy with a good heart who would step in to intervene if someone hassled a girl. She slipped her hand into his, aiming for nonchalance and cats skittered from them, clearly holding grudges, as if they recalled who'd robbed their dreams of progeny.

"So how do we get off the grounds?" Midori kept her voice low despite the emptiness of the corridors. Maybe she was paranoid but one never knew whether McGonagall decided to go for a stroll in her Amimagus form.

"We'll slip out the tunnels to Hogsmeade–"

"You can _do that?_ "

"Cute," Sirius chuckled. "Yes I can kitten. And from there, we'll board a bus with the holiday crowd and go to London."

"We won't get there until tomorrow afternoon and that's if there's no traffic." Midori said, calculating the distance. "And we need to conceal ourselves. They'll know what we look like once we go on the run."

"Got any spare Polyjuice Potion?"

"I have a feeling you do."

"Smart little thing aren't you?"

"Obviously not, if I'm settling for a mere beater boy when several Seekers are still available." For that he pinched her bottom and it took supreme effort not to retaliate. She knew how that would play out, could envision it and felt her breath hitching in anticipation of being dragged into another broom cupboard but alas there was no time.

Midori didn't ask why – she really didn't want to know – as Sirius took out a flask from beneath his robes. She'd always assumed he was well-hydrated until he winked at her. "I always keep Polyjuice on hand. Never know when you might need it. Gotta warn ya though, it's nasty."

She shuddered at the thought of drinking something with someone else's hair – or something gross like nail clippings or a scab – in it.

"Now what? Do we walk up to some poor first year and yank out some hair?"

Sirius tsked loudly. "You're a prefect babe, you can't do that. Besides it's assault, and worse against school rules. What did ickle first years ever do to you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Sirius grinned to himself as he pulled her closer to him. Midori wasn't a goody-good type, she didn't party because she didn't like people but as her dutiful boyfriend it was his job to take her to one party before they left school.

He took the opportunity to use magic without restriction to blast away cobwebs and cast little trails of floating light that weaved into floral shapes as they neared the entrance of a tunnel only he, Prongs, and Moony knew about. Wormtail, bless his mind, couldn't remember the entrance (or any entrance or that matter) if his life depended on it.

" _Lumos,_ " Sirius muttered after revealing the entrance with a clever little spell and some whispered praises to gargoyles standing guard. Once inside the tunnel Midori calmly lit her wand and proceeded before him. He wished she was the type to cling, the type who was wary if not outright scared of the dark but she didn't seem bothered a single bit, not even when rats the size of nuffle bunnies scampered about. Calmly freezing and frying spiders as she went Sirius didn't know whether to marvel or despair his girlfriend was so self-sufficient.

"You're hell on my ego," he muttered, breaking the silence.

"Aw, poor masculine little ego," Midori said without turning. "You want me to hold your hand again since you're so scared of the dark?"

"Mean," he muttered, hurrying until they matched strides. "You're a mean little kitten."

Hand in hand, they followed the narrow trail until finally they came to a fork.

"Fatty," Midori taunted as she squeezed through a narrow opening, watching Sirius follow with hidden glee. Finally Sirius clawed his way through. After concealing the gap in the stone, Sirius pointed at the ladder.

"Aren't you going to warn me?" Midori asked.

"Nah, not unless you're afraid of some bon bons."

Midori quickly climbed through the trap-door, which needed a bit of wiggling, coaxing, and finally a heated spell to open. Her mouth dropped open and she flashed back a decade, feeling like a six year old as she stared at the cellars of Honeydukes.

"No time," Sirius muttered, dragging her toward the main store. Thankfully the owners were kept busy at the register. The queue stretched out the door, which they slipped past without any notice as irritated and tired parents tried to shush their kids while lovers and couples stared dreamily at each other, oblivious to anyone but thoughts of feeding each other some of the newer items on sale hopefully in a private settling.

"I could go for a butterbeer right now," Sirius muttered but Midori sent him off with strict instructions to purchase certain travel essentials, among them first aid kits, weather-proof clothes for the bitter winter, food, some books – yes books, he clarified the matter with sheer disbelief and she simply informed him knowledge was the best weapon and there were plenty of spells to be learned if they were to survive – and assorted knick knacks before pointing him off at a shop and informing him she would meet him in an hour.

Trying – and occasionally failing – to ignore the offerings on sale Midori spent her last ten gallons on Sirius's Christmas present.

It was an atrocious monstrosity – a bike its owner promised could fly smoother than any broomstick. For some odd reason there was a side-cart attached to it, but instead of detracting from its intimidating demeanor it enhanced it. Silent as a ghost, warded so it remained invisible to all but birds of prey that shared the sky with them the bike was an ultimate middle finger to authority and Midori waited anxiously for Sirius as she attracted a harrowing amount of attention from passerbys.

"Hey baby girl, you lookin' for someone to teach you how to _ride?_ " A man, not quite sober, asked while his buddies roared with laughter. They'd paused in their journey from one bar to another and Midori gripped her wand tight as she faced him.

"Go away or I'll hex you."

"Did you hear that? The little –"

The spell hit in right in the face and he crumpled into the dirty snow. Five seconds later three other bodies hit the ground. Midori hoped, with this many people around, the Ministry couldn't pinpoint which underage witch used magic. As seconds tickled by she caught a glimpse of a shaggy-haired boy. Sirius strolled up to her and Midori snarled, "You're late!"

"By ten minutes. What's this?" Appreciative eyes ran over the sleek beast and Midori slapped the keys against his chest.

"Merry Christmas."

"Hmm. Wait, what?" He blinked at her like an owl and Midori's bad temper began to evaporate. He looked gobsmacked and she relished the sight.

"It's yours."

He continued staring at her.

"I got it for you."

Blink, blink. Such pretty eyes, she thought and said tartly, "It's a gift Black. Say thank you."

"I love you," he said and it was her turn to look like a stupid owl. "Don't you dare thank me," Sirius warned as he dumped the purchases onto the side-cart of the bike.

" _Stupefy!"_

Without warning Sirius slammed into her. He hissed out a spell as, " _Expelliarmus!_ _Expelliarmus!"_ exploded through the air. Her eyes sought frantically to locate their attacker but amidst the panicked screams and crowd of shoppers who didn't know which way to run to safety she couldn't make out a single threat.

"Arrogant toad," Sirius muttered as he climbed on the bike. Midori didn't point out that an average wizard or with wouldn't give much thought to taking on a student either but was profoundly grateful Sirius Black was no ordinary student. Never the type to go for boys who dueled after curfew Midori suddenly found herself intensely aroused by a specific one.

"We gotta move." Sirius said, "hop on!"

"I'll wait until we need to fly." She said, walking briskly as he learned how to ride the bike. They moved swiftly through the streets. "There's no time for window shopping, we're running for our lives," Sirius bit out, clipped as they breezed past gorgeous displays behind thick charmed glass. Old habits were hard to kick. Midori caught a glimpse of a pair of shoes that had her name written all over it as she snapped back, "I'm turning down my safety and family for you and your cause Black, don't you tell me off!"

He conceded with an air of impatience. Just as the exit road came into view three figures Apparated before them.

" _Stupefy! Imperio! Damn it, Expelliarmus!_ _Expelliarmus!"_

Sirius had fallen off his bike, perhaps deliberately for he'd slammed her into the cold ground. He took the blunt of two Disarming Spells and Midori panicked as blood trickled from his temple. As she began to cast a Shield Charm something cracked loudly.

"No!" She sobbed, wild with hysteria. Something grabbed onto her arm, the world disappeared, she couldn't breathe, couldn't see, it was as if something was forcing her body through a straw and everything pressed in, the pressure became overwhelming and then just as suddenly the world expanded, the pressure eased and she sucked in a breath. Daylight blinded her, seagulls cried and waves crashed all around them. She was standing on a rocky shore, too close to the waves. _Crack_.

Panicked, she glanced around to find herself standing on a rocky cliff. The wind stung her face, biting into the skin. This wasn't a dream. This was real. Numb with shock, pulsating with adrenaline and rigid with fear Midori tried to think but it was impossible.

 _Crack._ An unconscious Sirius sprawled at her feet and one nervously fidgeting Lulu bowed before her.

Relief crashed into her, and she fell to her knees.

"Mistress?" The Elf asked, looking as if awaiting a harsh reprimand.

"You saved my life. You saved our lives." Midori said weakly, gripping the frozen, muddy grass. "Thank you. Thank you."

Lulu said nothing, stiff and repentant as if she'd refuted or disobeyed a command. "Lulu… Lulu's safety isn't as important as mistress Miri's. And freedom does not suit Lulu. There are no chores. There is too much time. Elves are not meant to be freed," Lulu said forlornly.

As Midori processed the words something clicked. The House Elf's demeanor was that of an Elf awaiting punishment and she was right. Lulu _had_ disobeyed, the last thing Midori had said was for the Elf to run and hide. Despite being free Lulu had been indoctrinated to serve thus unable to truly heed anything but another command.

Midori let out a breath and smiled at Lulu whose tension immediately drained.

She could hardly fault the Elf's loyalty or disobedience, not when Lulu had just saved their lives.

"Here," Midori said, unwinding her thick woolen scarf and draping it over Lulu's makeshift toga fashioned from her previous one shimmering radiantly despite the grey overcast. "It's cold."

"Thank you, mistress."

"Friend, Lulu. I am not your superior. Is there any way you can cast a temperature charm Lulu? I can't use magic, I'm underage."

"Yes mistress-friend Lulu," the House Elf said obediently. The air around her instantly warmed as if enveloped by a sudden bubble of heat.

"Sirius too, if you could." Midori said, moving to check on him.

She felt at once relieved and furious their attacker had such poor aim. Disarming Spells were tricky, intended to disarm the opponent as their namesake suggested but a direct hit to the body had unpredictable effects on the body depending on where the spell hit.

There were ten more days until she turned seventeen, ten more days until the tracker on her dissolved. Agitated, Midori rooted through her bag but there was nothing bruising cream, energy potions or assorted clutter in the first aid kit could do to make Sirius ok. Her fingers itched. Oh Merlin it was hard not to use magic. Checking the steady drumming of his pulse at his neck Midori then gestured toward Lulu until the three of them made for a rather awkward picture, hugging in a huddle.

"Oh Lulu. I'm glad you're here," Midori said, warm if not comfortable as the wind whipped her hair and salty ocean invigorated her senses.

"Lulu make tea?" The House Elf asked uncertainly.

How she could do so Midori failed to see a way but she said yes and before her very astonished eyes Lulu conjured a tent out of thin air and bustled inside. Midori dragged Sirius in, sweating and huffing once she accomplished the feat.

Inside the tent, large enough to accommodate up to fifteen people and rather luxurious if a little dim Midori found herself absently cataloging the furnishings as she wandered about then let out a small sob when she located the shower.

There were five fundamental laws of magic, five naturally occurring laws that no sane person would be tempted to test or push let alone break. Although vague themselves the instructions were generally understood that the realm of the dead was better left alone by the realm of the living, free will was a force to be commanded, coerced or interfered with (or, as explained to Midori in layman's terms, you cannot make someone fall in love with you and not face serious consequences for manufactured love violated the principals of magic itself), and that nothing could not beget something. There were two other laws Midori had: something about flying and controlling animals with magic (that was why she stayed in Professor Binn's classes as the monotonous ghost taught something interesting once in a while) but for the life of her she couldn't remember the specifics at the moment.

As Midori puzzled over how Lulu could conjure the tent around her from thin air the clouds overhead unleashed their burden.

Perhaps Lulu could conjure food out of thin air too, Midori thought as she stripped out of her clothes then realized that was probably the third fundamental law: nothing could not beget anything. She could always transform a rock into an apple. No she couldn't, she couldn't use magic. Midori sighed, stepping into the shower. And it wasn't as if a rock-turned-apple would provide any nutrition. There was only so many traits an inanimate object could take on. House Elf magic however was vastly different to wizard magic. Superior, from all accounts and evidence, and yet they were enslaved to serve mankind. Why? One of these days she was going to sit down with Binns and pick his encyclopaedic brain. Yeah, that's the goal, she told herself, fighting laughter… or was it tears?

She cried (only a little mind you) for all that she'd lost and the crushing bleakness of the future.

Once she had dreams and ambitions. Now all she wanted was to live long enough to talk to Binns about House Elves.

After the tears ran out and determined willpower overtook self-pity, Midori began to relax. For over an hour she suspended her worries under the hot spray (praise Lulu for the water was decadent) as she scrubbed away the filth of the day.

"Out now," she spoke aloud, for there was an urge to remain in the stall forever, safe – even if it was an illusion of safety – warm, and well.

Living with magic was so intrinsic to her Midori had almost cast a drying spell on her hair before she realized doing so would alert the Ministry.

 _Close call_. With shaking hands she dressed then slowly navigated her way into the kitchen where Lulu had not only made a steaming mug of honey-lemon tea but was cooking away rather happily, chattering to herself.

Deciding not to disturb the House Elf, Midori slipped toward the table, grabbed her drink then went in search of Sirius.

He was where she'd left him, sprawled at the entrance of the tent.

"You heavy bastard," Midori scowled down at him. There were fifteen cozy beds and plenty of warm quilts about but he just had to be heavy and big and undraggable.

Sirius was unnecessarily tall, Midori decided. Although she didn't know his actual height the tip of her head reached just below his shoulder. The muscles she'd complained about didn't help at all. Sirius was built, but for once she wasn't in the appreciative mood. This is why she preferred Seekers, Midori told herself. They were sleek, fast and light. They weren't a troublesome load to drag off to bed.

Delicious warmth and tangy sweetness burst on her tongue as she sipped her drink and poured all her anger into Sirius's state of unconsciousness. When Lulu shuffled out to announce dinner was ready Midori aimed a beaming smile at her new best friend, then asked Lulu to move Sirius into a bed.

It was, she decided minutes later shoveling down turkey and hot gravy, something to be adjusted to when the House Elf she'd grown accustomed to bossing around all her life was now a friend, one she was taking advantage of perhaps, but a friend nonetheless.

Once full, and growing sleepy for the adrenaline was ebbing away Midori wandered about until she found Sirius tucked into bed. Even as her mind argued she needed to brush her teeth Midori was already slipping under the covers.

"Wake up damn you," she muttered as she snaked herself around Sirius's bulk. With the wind howling like demons all around, a torrent of bullet-like raindrops hammering on the tent, Midori Brooks, runaway daughter, dropout student, and blackmail victim, closed her weary eyes.


	12. Chapter 12

**Desiree** : Haha, thank you. I love that name too. I modelled Midori physically after Alexis Bedel and Bridget Regan's coloring in Legend of the Seeker if you want to picture Sirius and Midori's together :D

 **Thank You:** Oh yes, I share that sentiment too! I don't know why I never liked James having a sister, I just don't and given what we know about James Potter he would've hexed Sirius unforgivably if he found out his best mate was with his sister even if they were in love. And Sirius, well if he grew up with James's little sister and if she's anything like James Potter I don't think they'll fall in love, not like Harry and Ginny because H &G never really had a sibling relationship/banter whereas if Sirius lived with the Potters and was so exposed to the Potters, there would be an incestuous feel to it. Anyway, personal preferences aside, I'm glad you like my story! Please point out any errors if you don't mind, and I'm probably going back to a Hogwarts-centric plot as I love the castle too much and making up other places/trying to combine real places with Potterverse is really exhausting and hard. _I_ am going to thank _you_ for reading and reviewing:D

 **Teodora:** Oh wow, that's so kind! Thank you! I think J.K Rowling might have issues if I tried to infringe on her copyright though O_O

Whenever I have a writer's block I revert back to a humor and see what I could come up with even if there's nothing I can use plot-wise. I had so much fun writing the next chapter and decided to share this because of my three amazing reviewers. I love you. **  
**

 **Chapter Twelve**

A shout jolted Midori rudely awake and through the fogginess of her mind the dulcet tones of one very conscious Sirius Black registered. "Those motherfuckers probably stole my bike," were the first words he said, and he'd worked himself into a very classic male tantrum when Midori reoriented herself, stifled a brief panic attack at the realization she was in the middle of Merlin knew where, shivered as she braved a hand from the warm covers and reached for her very irate boyfriend.

"Someone ever mention you're not a morning person?" She asked, trying successfully to tug Sirius back beneath the covers. He was like a warm bear, generating enough heat to melt the winter.

"Babe, it's like three in the morning. Doesn't count." Sirius said, shrugging her off. As he stood and swung blindly in the darkness, a voice spoke softly in the dark.

"L-lulu will get tea."

Sirius let out a bellow and immediately turned to face the unseen threat.

"Thank you Lulu," Midori said loudly, restraining Sirius tackling the poor Elf by hanging onto his wrist for dear life. Heart racing Sirius strained his eyes and ears as something shuffled in the darkness. When the door snicked shut he demanded. "Who the hell is Lulu and why is she watching us sleep?"

"House Elf. Saved our lives. Shut up and let me sleep Black." Midori mumbled, elated he was conscious but not enough to actually leave the warmth of the sheets.

Hoping Lulu was nothing like Kreacher, Sirius quickly staggered out of bed in search for a Headache Relief Drought in the first aid box and belatedly, at Midori's acidic reminder, some pants. Memory returned, as did the realization of what had happened as he located and drank the small vial and the cold invigorated his body, shocking nerve endings awake.

Someone had tried to kill them in Hogsmeade. The little holiday village was charming, 'picture perfect' as destinations went and hardly the place where violence occurred. The fact that he had Polyjuice Potion on hand to prevent such an attack, although his reasonings for changing their appearance were to avoid scrutiny by teachers who also shopped during the Christmas season at Hogsmeade, well. It didn't matter the reason, he should've thought better… but thoughts tend to scatter when Midori touched him, however innocently. His fingers clenched, recalling the slimness of it then something shuffled toward him, an anxious thing with bat ears and golf-ball eyes but without the intense hatred he was accustomed to seeing from a house elf. Kreacher, Sirius thought darkly, probably would've kicked him when he was down then save his life.

"S-Sir?" Lulu hovered at a good distance as if fearing a sudden slap. Forcing himself to smile, Sirius took a mug of tea and after burning his tongue, brooding briefly about the future or lack of, he then dug out one of his most prized possessions – a mirror.

It looked ordinary, a handheld mirror with a smooth polished surface with nary a smudge but worked like a video-phone, enabling him to speak to Prongs without fear of eavesdropping. To Sirius's great astonishment Prongs answered immediately and yelled, "Where the hell have you been? Moony almost mauled me! _He almost stepped on Wormtail!_ "

"Shouldn't he be in Hospital Wing?" Sirius asked immediately, alarmed, momentarily forgetting his predicament.

"Someone left the curtains open. Who knew there was a bloody blue moon this month?"

"You should, it's your turn for keeping track of the lunar cycle!"

"Well I was busy! Where the hell have you been?"

Midway through his slightly embellished rendition of earlier events Midori walked into the kitchen swaddled in blankets led by a trembling Lulu. "Shh, it's ok, he's just… animated." Midori tried to reassure the elf. With brandishing arms and violent jerks of his hand, Sirius was regaling a mirror of their misadventure. She turned just in time to hear the tinny unmistakable voice of James Potter and whirled around, shocked.

After all, none of them could Apparate. They were due to begin lessons in the Great Hall after Christmas, for lessons had been cancelled earlier in the year due to some trouble with getting Ministry wizards to lift jinxes at Hogwarts.

The kitchen, sans James Potter, echoed with Potter's words as he began to splutter something about Dumbledore.

Rubbing her eyes and wondering which rabbit she accidentally stalked and subsequent hole she fell down, Midori traipsed over to Black who grunted at the intrusion and snagged her quickly and dumped her on his lap. Snuggling automatically she peered into a mirror she only just noticed and was astonished to find Potter (with hair looking as if it'd been shocked upright and glasses askew) staring back at her. He give her a cursory glance before continuing earnestly, "Dad will sort this right out, don't you worry!"

"What on earth is this? This must be very advanced magic!" Midori blurted. Magic had an effect not unlike electromagnetism that followed a 1/r2 formula. The greater the distance the less effect magic had on a person or object. In fact, a distance greater than twenty feet diminished the effect of a spell or hex by over sixty, and sometimes up to ninety percent! The formula was why wizard duels still occurred to this day and age – one couldn't simply point and level a spell from a great distance.

As the boys began to pin their hopes on adult authority figures, Midori summoned a pen (a genius invention, far superior and practical than quill and ink but for some stupid reason wizards were keen to cling to 'tradition' and insist on using antiquated writing tools), a notebook (imagine that, parchment bound and pressed into a regular book! So convenient!) She began to compile what needed to be done, first and foremost a route out of the country. Somewhere foreign and isolated like New Zealand or Hawaii was bound to be overlooked in the upcoming Wizarding War.

"If you two could kindly explain why you're risking expulsion?" A mild mannered voice inquired. Midori glanced up to find Albus Dumbledore sipping a mug of tea, and found herself speechless. "Headmaster?" She rubbed her eyes, pinched herself, then pinched Sirius for good measure.

"What?" Sirius demanded then did a double take. Potter's voice continued, oblivious to their visitor.

This is a weird day. This is a very weird day, Midori told herself, staring at the headmaster glancing at them as if he'd just caught them lobbing stink bombs in the dungeons instead of hiding out in the middle of nowhere after a blitz attack by dark wizards.

"Padfoot? Padfoot?" The background commentary Potter was running faded when Sirius muttered, "Dumbledore's here," breathed over the surface until it fogged. Potter's face disappeared and a chirping silence (Midori could've sworn there was a cricket in Dumbldore's beard) fell.

"Miss Brooks? Mr Black? I hope there's an explanation. Knowing Mr Black's involvement I suspect quite a story."

An oomph punctured the air as Midori dug an elbow into Black's stomach, cutting him off before he could cement their fate. Quickly and quietly she stripped their tale of emotion and gave the headmaster the bare facts, driving her elbow repeatedly into a very solid stomach as Black tried time and time again to speak.

"How did you find us sir? If I may ask," Midori asked when Dumbledore finished stroking his beard (there were at least five crickets, she counted).

"For most underaged users there's only a promixity alert whenever a wizard uses magic outside school grounds or their residence however the Ministry places a tracking spell on young witches and wizards of extraordinary talent or extraordinary mischief at their discretion. I'm afraid Mr Black meets both those requirements and given his past record and family dif – _ah –_ situation, an alert goes up every time he attempts to use magic outside Hogwarts grounds."

His parents were abusive and Sirius resorted to magic to survive, Midori interpreted as anger flaring in her stomach. "But he was unconscious. We didn't even use magic," she said, confused, scrambling through her memories.

"I uh, I may have hexed someone while purchasing supplies," Sirius admitted sheepishly. "I couldn't help myself."

"Indeed." Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling. "After that, it was a simple matter of consulting witnesses. One man reported a strange tale indeed – a house elf kidnapping an unconscious man! His sobriety was called into question and his account dismissed, however I must admit my interest piqued at the thought of an elf that would kidnap a man! What a creature!" Aiming a fond and amused glance at Lulu who was doing a remarkable job of trying to fade into the cabinets, Dumbledore continued, "Fortunately I have several contacts at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. The Being division in particular noted a rather startling fact – why, one of the wealthiest if not noblest houses sacked their house elf! The timing was curious, curious indeed. Upon further investigation and some help from our elves in the Kitchens I was able to surmise what had happened and track down Lulu."

While Sirius gaped at Dumbledore Midori couldn't help herself – the abundance of knowledge Dumbledore offered was fire thrown on the gas fumes of her curiosity. She asked, "How does one track a house elf?" and made a mental note there was a file at the Ministry that kept a record of how many houses had a house elf and how many elves were employed. Was there, perchance, house elves who could gain employment after sacking? Dare they work for wages? Her line of thought was interrupted when Dumbledore set down his mug and said, of all the things in the world, the most unexpected.

"Well? Shall we head back to Hogwarts? We'll be just in time for breakfast."

"You… we… but… you want us to go back to school?" Midori gasped, wondering if the headmaster was indeed the headmaster. What if he was an impossible?

"Midori!" Sirius shouted as she stood suddenly and pointed her wand at the headmaster who did nothing more than peer up at her agitated form.

" _Specialis Revelio Hominim!"_

A cannonball of missile-like purple bubbles burst forth and transformed into silver sparks upon landing on Dumbledore. "Ah," he said, not looking at all bothered, "Excellent thinking Miss Brooks! That is a tricky little spell and you did it perfectly! Its not easy to cast it with sure purity. Any clouding of intent or niggle of doubt and you would've never pulled it off. I would award you House points if I could. Are you taking N.E.W.T levels this year? I would strongly urge you to consider Defence Against the Dark Arts."

"Yes Professor." Midori said, flushing furiously as she put her wand away. Chagrined at the praise she said quickly, "I'm sorry for attacking you."

"Nonsense. I only wish all our pupils learned such vigilance and critical thinking abilities at our school. Now, I fear I must return to my duties. Shall we?"

A part of her still couldn't believe, after the entire mess, that they were going back to school. Feeling reprieved, as if she'd just been pardoned from an Azkaban sentence, Midori stood and tried to tamper the manic grin hurting her face as she readied to go back to school. Of course there were many things to consider, particularly her safety and whether she could remain in her House but all in all she was suddenly impatient to begin lessons and return to the normal grinding routine of dull schoolwork.

"I guess I don't have to live without magic," Sirius said, relieved as they strode toward Dumbledore, who extended his arms as if waiting invisible owls to land. Once she grasped an arm, the world turned on itself. Clammy and nauseated, her knees slammed into something unforgiving, and she sucked in sweet air into desperate lungs as Midori braced herself.

"I hate Apparating," she muttered. A soft crooning sound, musical and soothing reached her ears. A flap and woosh later something heavy landed on her shoulder. Feathery silk and a rather sharp beak met her ear and crooned into it. "'Lo Fawkes," Midori muttered, closing her eyes and sinking into the sound.

Phoenixes, she knew, were known for their healing powers. Only few in history could claim the mighty firebird as pets for their nature was self-governing and their loyalty discerning and hard earned. As a child she'd petitioned the Ministry for a permit to acquire one but whilst she had the funds phoenixes were rare to obtain, even through illegitimate means, and the Ministry simply refused to grand her a permit no matter how much coin her papa threw at them.

A Phoenix, one stout Ministry wizard had informed her the time she followed Norman to work and wandered down into the Magical Creatures department to see if she could argue someone out of their decision, is not so much a pet as a companion and even as a companion it was one that demanded to be equal to the so-called owner. A mistreated Phoenix resulted in cursed wombs, the end of proud family lines and ill-fortune for any person who shared a drop of blood with the fool who displeased the bird, for a curse was laid on a person's head not even the purity of siren calls could remove the stain placed upon the soul.

"You have a good voice Fawkes," Midori praised and feathers ruffled as if preening while the song continued, melodic and timeless. A pearly droplet, scalding and transparent, fell onto her neck and trickled down her chest.

"You're… crying." Midori said, shocked. But she wasn't even injured!

Phoenix tears were rumored to be one of the most effective antidotes to most mortal poisons, their blood only second to unicorn blood in staying death but she'd never heard of phoenix song being able to soothe the mind or ease a queasy stomach. Nonetheless Midori filed the anecdote away as Fawke's song washed over her soul and the nausea receded as his song swelled to a mighty crescendo. As her energy rushed through her reinvigorated body Fawkes flew over to Sirius and proceeded to weep all over him.

"He likes you." Dumbledore said, puffing away on a pipe. Smoke rose, bright pink and yellow swirls. The scent of rose, cinnamon and something sharp, not quite lemony floated through the air. "I've never heard him sing like that before, and he doesn't cry easily."

Once Fawkes stopped weeping and Sirius convinced both the bird and Dumbledore he didn't need Madame Pomfrey to check him for residual effects of a concussion he and Midori headed down to the Great Hall behind Dumbledore.

The festivity and gay atmosphere in the Hall was a sight to behold. Each year Hogwarts outdid itself and this year the ante that couldn't be upped anymore had upped despite all contrary opinion. "We were only gone for one day!" Midori said, bewildered at the sheer number of Christmas trees, wreaths, ornaments and decorations she passed.

"I have found secrets upon secrets at this castle each year and Merlin knows how many years I've been here. This castle is as mysterious as a woman you'll find, with mysteries that ten thousand years of study will not solve."

They parted on that cryptic note and Sirius let out a massive bellow as he caught sight of one elated James Potter. "Oh my," Midori said, shocked as Sirius took off. The pair ran toward each other as if reuniting after a great war, embracing and each trying and failing to lift the other to swing off the ground.

If she didn't know any better she would've suspected deeper feelings between the two. Smirking at the endearing couple, joined by one beat-up Lupin (did he pick a fight with a troll?) and beaming Pettigrew trying to clamber up Black for some odd reason Midori quickly glanced around the room, took note of the students still in residence for the holiday (about thirty) and moved to join the Gryffindors celebrating the return of their boy wonder.

So relieved she was back on castle grounds and not on the run from Death Eaters, Midori failed to realize she lost Sebastian's letter until she was back in her room desperately rifling through her belongings.

"Bollocks!"

And things didn't improve after that. An owl arrived (the poor thing flittered down a small chute that all Slytherins had for it was rather cruel to force the creatures to navigate indirectly) and Midori caught one glimpse of a scarlet envelope before racing for the exit. She wasn't quick enough and the letter detonated even as it was unfolding itself midair to form a tongue.

Vitriolic filth spewed and accusations, each more outlandish than its precedent, assaulted her. So vile was the message Midori could hardly bring herself to think her parents, her own _parents_ , took the time and the energy to compose something like this _to her_ and send it!

The howler finished on an ominous note – if she wanted to work her way back to not only her parent's good graces but that of _Lord_ Voldemort (lord?!) a list of ghastly and foul deeds needed to be done to show her 'goodwill' and 'genuine remorse'.

"I'm gonna be sick," she said, dry heaving as she locked arms around her knees.

" _Hw_ _oooo-hooowoo." Thump, thump, clunk. Claaaaang._

A cowering feather ball that was the poor school barn owl stuck in the chute was retrieved after Midori scrubbed her hot face free of the tears she didn't even know had felled. A black cat poked its head from below its head, evidently displeased and Midori gave a watery chuckle.

Everything was back to normal. Except it wasn't. Too drained to incinerate the howler Midori whispered, "Waddiwasi," and reversed the letter back up the chute for someone else to dispose then with grim determination, transfigured a pile of origami back into gleaming cauldrons.

This time she wasn't aiming to make Veritaserum. This time there was no need to cut her fingers or strain her eyes over moth-eaten pages.

Potion № 19 was a potion she learned as a child, learned and watched as it destroyed the witch who taught her the importance of knowledge and the dangers of indulging curiosities without proper precaution.

Potion № 19 was an often overlooked brew in not only Potions but the Dark Arts, obscure and highly volatile, considered an experimental failure not only by its creator but a nightmare and 'my biggest regret' for every witch and wizard who'd attempted to recreate it. On par with the creation of Horcruxes in difficulty even though its ingredients were simple and easily obtainable, Midori took a deep calming breath and recalled the words taught her at an age when a senile mad witch had Midori was too young to listen, understand or recall while she busied herself in her kitchen ignoring the curious intelligent witch who never discarded a word of wisdom spoken in her presence no matter how small or far-fetched.

"A bottled Dementor's kiss." Midori said, recalling granny's words. For a kiss was an expression of love but like any inexplicable force whether the essence of magic or gravity, love could be twisted and manipulated.

Sometimes one had to fight fire with fire. And fire… fire was versatile and multi-dimensional, something not many people comprehended, rushing to a forgone conclusion instead of appreciating that fire had the ability to turn against its user or engulf itself leaving not even smoke and ashes.

From what she'd heard from her parents, and rumors, Midori surmised Voldemort as someone who intimately understood fire. He was someone who wasn't just three oves ahead in the chess game but someone who found a way to rewrite the rules and plan for every action.

So in order to win, punches couldn't be countered with punches and hexes couldn't be countered with hexes. Sometimes lightning fast reflexes aren't fast enough. And Midori was nothing if not an indirect opponent.

"Three drops to destroy a soul," Midori whispered softly as she began to pen an apothecary order. "Five drops to drain it completely, and nine to force every trace of a soul's existence consume itself, nine drops to destroy a soul so utterly a Horcrux tethering the user to the living could not hope to recover."

But who knew how many Voldemort had? The process of creating a Horcrux was taboo even in the wizarding world, and a conversation even her family did not have behind closed doors. Nevertheless Potion № 19 would be invaluable in her arsenal of tricks even if Dumbledore and Sirius were too good and noble to resort to such dirty tricks. I definitely belong to Slytherin, Midori thought happily, as she sent the owl away with her order. Cunning, not bold. Resourceful albeit impulsive. And first and foremost, a trait others considered cowardly or selfish but really it was fundamentally human, s _elf-preservation at all costs._


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

While Midori prepared herself to break seventy-three known laws of the Magical Penal Code down in the Slytherin Basements, on the other side side of the castle up in Gryffindor Tower a reunification party was taking place. One very sloshed Sirius Black was treating the rest of his dorm mates to his unimpressive tenor range despite Remus Lupin and James Potter's desperate attempts to pummel his gob shut.

"And a part – _hic_ – par – p-p _hic_ – partridge that's the one! And a partridge–"

"–whazza partridge–"

"–izza bird mate–"

"–ain't 'erd of it–"

"–triiiiiiidge on a pear tree!" Sirius bellowed triumphantly over Wormtail and Longbottom's weird discussion over bird names.

"Padfood, mate, shut up!" James bellowed as Sirius began another jingle. "It's my turn!"

Remus sighed loudly then said, "That's not why I was trying to shut him up," to James. After retrieving spelled earmuffs he jammed them on and climbed into his bunk, curtains shutting faster than James or Sirius could let him know he was welcome to duet.

A singing competition began, good-natured at first until more bottles hit the ground. Remus appeared sporadically to detoxify his friend's blood and liver alcohol content with a nifty spell before politely but firmly declining their repeated invitations to duet. Around four in the afternoon Sirius Black remembered a spell. "Sonorus," he slurred gleefully, jabbing himself in the Adam's apple. Prongs followed suit and before anyone could stop them the duo was belting out Death by Mermaid's classic hit _I Fell In Love With A Stranger At My Wedding._

The door crashed open just as they got into the chorus, headbanging and air-guitaring for all they're worth, and headboy Arthur Wesley, a normally good-natured boy with alarmingly red-haired poked his head in. "It's a bit loud – _is that Firewhisky?_ "

"'Sss gone," Sirius said unhelpfully as Arthur did a remarkable impression of a troll confronted with complex Arithmancy. "He helped drink." Sirius added, pointing to a snoring Pettigrew and gesturing toward the drooling mess that transformed the once handsome Frank Longbottom into something only his mother, and perhaps Alice Merryweather, could love.

"Dentention! Blimey, there must be… five, seven… how are you two not dead after drinking ten bottles?" Arthur demanded, summoning the empty bottles to him as if he needed to physically count them by hand to verify what his eyes saw. The final count came to thirteen (three bottles had somehow climbed into bed with Peter).

"How are you two alive?" Arthur repeated, muttering, "Adustrumo daefacco," agitatedly as he began to write up their detentions.

"Moony," Sirius and Black said after looking at each other and breaking into maniac laughter.

"You're both loony all right," Arthur agreed, mishearing. He tried to usher them out and toward Hospital Wing after both boys received their detention slips and tried to eat it. So much for thinking punishment could curtail their troublemaking ways.

"Let's get you two sobered up. Adustrumo daefacco." He repeated, not knowing Lupin had already cast close to a hundred spells over the course of the day.

When he kept his wand out, apparently at loss of what else to try, Sirius took it as a challenge and even in his drunk state managed to execute a perfect series of Babbling, Bat-bogey, Sea-legs, Knee-reversal, and Jelly-finger curses in precise order.

"What's the incantation for the fart thing again?" He asked his best mate who looked suitably impressed by his skill.

"Plodo." James said helpfully.

"Apfufufu! Mwbrwrr! Mbrwrr wrrwrr! Mphfufuf tutuph!" Arthur bellowed, causing Sirius and James to literally collapse with laughter but not before Sirius fired off one last curse that made every breath Arthur took smell of farts. And thanks to the combination of spells he'd employed Arthur couldn't reverse his work, unable to grasp his wand, retreat to speak for someone else for help, or stop sneezing bats from his nostrils. Watching Arthur stumble around, crashing off the walls and screaming, "Vuu! Vuu tbuubu!" was well worth the month of two of detentions in his immediate future.

"I'm dying." Sirius howled, clutching his stomach. "I can't breathe Prongs."

"Gwwnup drrrrp," James cried, wiping his eyes as he mocked Arthur.

"Finite Incantatem!" A firm voice said and three heads swiveled upward to find an resigned Remus Lupin putting away his wand.

"Hello Arthur."

"Aww Moony, you party-pooper!" Sirius complained. James, with real puzzlement, said seriously, "Moony doesn't poop mate. In all the years I've known him, I've never heard him announce he needed to take a shit."

"You have issues Prongs," Remus said as Arthur collected himself and scribbled furiously into his parchment roll. "Arthur, see if you can find some Head Clearing Broth. The taste alone should be punishment enough given how much Firewhisky they consumed."

"Right."

With astonishing speed Arthur left and two faces turned to Remus accusingly. "You don't poop but you poop the parties. We need to talk."

"I suggest you talk to Lily first, you're late for your date."

"You have a date with _Evans?"_ If he wasn't already on the floor, Sirius would've fallen. Looking thunderstuck and a little betrayed he turned to his mate but the lovesick swain was already stumbling toward the door like a drunken dwarf and making panicked noises not befitting of a man over six feet or any man at all. A series of "Ow!"s and "Shit!"s floated into the room after James disappeared and Sirius repeated, shocked, "Prongs has a date with _Evans_."

"He took a leaf out of your book." Remus revealed with a small grin.

"Which book?" Sirius demanded, scrambling for his bags. "Bastard always writes in them!"

"He took a _leaf_ out of your _book_." Remus said meaningfully but the meaning was lost on Sirius. "Padfoot, he blackmailed Lily."

" _He what!"_

"Well, not quite the way you did but –"

"I knew she wasn't as innocent as she seemed! Ha! Ow! Where did that come from?"

"Oh Merlin," Remus said, retreating as Sirius rubbed his face and glared at the nightstand that assaulted him.

It was going to a long evening.

\\\

Midori was chagrined to find the photographs Potter took of her and Sirius kissing as her Christmas present from a very drunk Sirius when he collected her for dinner around half past six, never mind Christmas was still days away and as presents went, well the photographs was definitely not appropriate. And to top things off Sirius had needed to track down Slughorn to gain entrance to the Slytherin Commons to get to her, Slughorn of all people!

Her cheeks heated at the memory of a distinctly uneasy Slughorn arriving to inform her 'suitor' had come. She was never, _never_ going to live that down.

And Sirius was sloshed. No mistake about that. After preforming an Intoxicant Purging spell, which Sirius had proudly informed her he'd already encountered "loads oftimes" earlier on and that it felt like "little gnomes rubbing the inside of his arteries and veins with feathers" Midori served as his crutch out of the Basements and listened to him pout.

"Don't you like your present?" He asked for the thousandth time.

"I uh, yes." Midori said hesitantly. One beaming, extremely proud looking and somewhat disheveled Sirius stinking of Firewhisky grabbed her and pinned her against the wall. He looked as if he was awaiting an award and belatedly Midori wrinkled her nose.

"I'll bite your tongue off if you try to kiss me Black."

"She's mean." Sirius said to a passerby cat after relenting, aided by Midori's sharp elbows and repeated stomping to his feet.

Oh Merlin, he talks to cats, Midori thought. It was endearing. It was frustrating. Sirius Black was impossible to begin with but drunk? Fate was testing her.

"I said thanks," Midori pointed out, not adding that she would like some other photographs back when Sirius continued to pout. Up in the Great Halls she leveled a blistering stare at Potter but was shocked to find Lily Evans in a similar predicament – dealing with one very, _very_ inebriated and infatuated pouting James Potter.

"Whose idea was it to drink alcohol?" Midori demanded as she arrived at the Gryffindor Table.

"Vuu mphflpflp!" James replied then slammed his head down onto the table with an audible thunk, howling with laughter. The action, or perhaps his babbling, set Sirius off who roared and shook as if someone overdid a Cheering Charm on him.

"What is going on?" She repeated.

"They got drunk, that's what." Lily said, refusing to look at her. "Remus said Black jinxed Arthur Weasley and a Babbling Curse may have been involved."

"Ah."

"How long do you think it'll take for the alcohol to clear from the brain?" Alice Merryweather asked a few seats down. Frank was massaging mashed potatoes into his face.

"The Intoxicant Purging spell has no effect beyond the blood brain barrier. I guess it'll have to depend on the brain capacity of these idiots." Midori replied.

Remus Lupin, halfheartedly trying to convince Pettigrew that one did not put spoons into one's ear, waved at them and Midori giggled. "He'll make a good boyfriend, that one."

"I'm a good boyfriend Lily!" James whined, seizing on the word boyfriend. Clearly it was all he aspired to be in life.

"I'm a good boyfriend!" Sirius bellowed, competitive spirit rising. "I'm better!"

"You're not anyone's boyfriend!" Midori said to James, exasperated but Sirius mistook the direction of her words and gasped loudly, "You can't use with me then dump me you heartless harpy!"

Midori smacked him in the chest and tried to silence his voice. Unfortunately it proved to be a voice that was not to be silenced. Once the teachers cleared their table (but for Flitwork, no doubt to keep an eye on things although given Flitwick's vision he couldn't keep an eye on his own reflection in the mirror) dinner at the Gryffindor table became memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Some of the highlights over the hour included:

James trying to spoon feed his "Lily darling" because she was a "a flower plucked straight from heaven" and "I'm romantic damn it, just cooperate won't you?"

Sirius, upon seeing such wooing tactics in action and wrongly concluding they were working given that Evans wasn't reverting to her normal screaming tactics and screaming at James, found his competitive spirit reviving at the endearing sight. He wrongly decided to one-up his friend by resorting to the old habit of force-feeding Midori but without his usual eye-hand coordination. She ended up wearing most of her spaghetti instead of actually eating it. He then decided she looked "good in red" and tried to paint her face with tomato soup with a badly transfigured spoon with a paintbrush head.

Peter had stabbed himself with a sausage roll somewhere in the background unnoticed by all until he proceeded to make a Shakespearean dramedy out of the event. Who knew the chubby quiet sidekick could compose such a moving soliloquy and all about a sausage roll?

Frank Longbottom proposed. With a piece of broccoli. No one knew if Alice was trying to pacify him when she accepted but the decision proved to be a mistake – Frank tried to make her wear the 'ring' and when it proved impossible he had one very manly tantrum and declared war on all green vegetables.

Edward Tonks, sporting hair the color of broccoli just happened arrive very late to dinner hand-in-hand with his girlfriend Andromeda Black. Frank took one look at Ted's hair and tried to set it on fire, testing the friendship bond between Alice and Andromeda as they tried to contain their respective boyfriends from an all out duel. Meanwhile, Flitwork remained oblivious to everything but his own goblet, levitating the occasional Christmas ornament back up a massive tree.

Arthur Weasley aborted several attempts to approach Sirius to hand over the additional detentions and a flask of some remedy only to flinch whenever Sirius pointed his butter knife at the headboy menacingly and snarl, "Try me floobpwoobp. _Try me_."

"I deserve every calorie," Midori heard Lily mutter to herself when James finally decided to stop annoying her with affection the way an overly enthusiastic puppy tried to bond with a disinterested owner. As Lily shoved an entire brownie into her mouth and James destroyed an apple pie, Alice and Andromeda finally managed to separate Edward and Frank, who were both remarkably unhurt. The two men fought over a single piece of pie, oblivious to the fact that there were plenty more only a few seats away while the girls contemplated loudly the benefits of a lesbian relationship. Remus had given up on Peter and was consoling himself with blueberry ice cream while Peter was still glaring at the sausage roll in hand and demanding an apology for what it did to his nose.

"I'm a good boyfriend aren't I?" Sirius said arrogantly, flicking the tip of Midori's nose. "I'm the best boyfriend ever. Say it."

He was a nightmare.

He was her nightmare.

" _I'm_ a good boyfriend. I'll be the best." James said through a mouthful of pie.

"Midori?" Lily said hesitantly. At first Midori didn't register her own name. The syllables were odd coming from Evan's mouth.

"What?" She said at last.

"Wanna swap?" Judging by the strained look on the redhead's face, Midori knew she was too tired to finish her sentence.

Sirius and James froze, not understanding Lily was asking if Midori wanted to swap with her dealing with their respective idiots.

"Sure," Midori said, too tired to notice the boy's reactions.

Then all hell broke loose.


	14. Chapter 14

I'm not dead! :O

Sorry for the delay, I had some really big things going on in 2015 and I'm working through it, but at the time, writing wasn't a priority for me. Thank you all for your patience!

Update - responses to reviews.

Ellie: Thank you, thank you, thank you for reviewing all the chapters and in such great detail, and for pointing out inconsistencies in the story, I really appreciate it (wriggles antennas, do you wanna be my beta? :D) I have gone back and fixed chapters 1-3 and am slowly going through the rest.

Hmm, I think I put more of an AU into Narcissa than I realised. She was the middle sister, the pretty one, and in the latter books and movies, she was just desperate to protect her son and keep her family together. I got the impression she followed Bellatrix's lead as a child and she married Lucius to please her parents or to make a good blood connection BUT that's boring, and I wanted Narcissa to have a bit more of her own story. I also like the idea of Lucius as a playboy (hence why he is in this story haha).

Sorry I ran out of creativity but if I think of something I'll go back and fill it in!

I'm not sure if Lucius has a thing for Midori per se, more of an intrigue because she stood up to Bellatrix and he's the type that likes to be king of the castle and fawned over so she possesses a challenge.

I'm going to change the bit about the clock, you're right, it doesn't make sense.

YES, BLESS A MAN WITH CLEAN SHEETS. That's why Midori will keep him hahaha.

I'm not sure if I remember this correctly but in the books Peeves did make it up to Harry's dormitory… but if not, well, he can go up there now :D

Oooh, let me reiterate, please be my beta, please, please, I'll write faster. Maybe. Heh.

Yes, there will be more James and Lily, because I want to see how he convinces her he's not a bullying toe rag and him being hot just isn't enough so something must've happened to change her opinion of him, especially one as cemented as hers given their history.

BiGDeal: Oops, I may need to write Lily a bit better. She's not cold or distant, she just is around James because, well, he brings it out in her. I'm totally going to ignore canon and keep my main pairings alive because Sirius as an uncle will be hilarious and can you imagine James Potter getting a letter from Hogwarts saying his son flew a car into the Whomping Willow? He'll be so proud! Can you imagine how proud Lily will be to hear Harry freed Dobby? Ahhh!

Guest: Hi! I will try!

Neko-fire demon tempest: If you think that's bad, wait until they, oops, no spoilers ;)

* * *

 **Chapter Fourteen.**

In order to prevent all out bloodshed between two former best friends (read gigantic twats) Lily Evans (very reluctantly) scarified her dignity and sanity by agreeing to date one elated James Potter, who promptly tripped all over his feet trying to do something called the moon walk.

Immediately following the momentous (disastrous) decision, with sternness befitting of McGonagall herself Lily steadfastly refusing to look at her new beau and informed Potter they were going to take a nice long romantic trip to Hospital Wing, temper flaring as she dared him to protest or defy her.

"Whipped," Midori muttered, watching Potter practically bounce after her. It was like watching a Great Dane following a snappy terrier, unaware of he held the power and too meek to do anything but try and keep up.

Sirius, still reeling and devastated that Midori would throw him over for a "git like Prongs" was consoled halfheartedly by a tired-looking Remus while Midori was kept busy bullying Pettigrew all the way to Hospital Wing, followed by Alice and Frank.

"What is the meaning of this?" Madame Pomfrey demanded upon finding her office invaded. She appeared to addressLupin specifically but from what Midori could see he was perfectly healthy. What mischief had the studious prefect gotten up to that Pomfrey was looking so worried? Was he a regular visitor? Was he really clumsy or something?

Before Remus could speak Sirius crashed into a table. The healer burst into a rapid agitated speech as Frank began vomiting.

"You should know better than be out and about in your condition, especially after what we went through last night? Bed rest and darkness that's what you need! Goodness! Goodness gracious me! Well? Move them to the beds please!"

Buzzing like a bee, throwing her hands into the air at random, Madame Pomfrey began muttering, "I'll be fixing a few Droughts and it'll take some time before a Head Clearing Broth can be made! 'Tis Christmas and too early for this nonsense! Why, the Kitchens don't even _have_ eggnog this early in the season! What have you boys been drinking? Don't you know any better?"

"I can get some Head Clearing Broth," Remus said quickly, escaping Madame Promfrey's strangely misdirected wrath. She seemed rather insistent he stay event though _he_ was the only sober male.

Taking care Frank didn't have a view of anything green the boys were all poured into bed and fastened to it thanks to Midori's quick thinking and wand work.

"Babe. Babe," Sirius said urgently, gripping Midori's hand as he struggled against the bonds. "Will you still love me if I don't fuck you?"

"Shh!" Midori slapped her hand over his mouth, hissing, "What are you on about?"

"It won't work." Sirius said glumly after he licked her hand and she was forced to remove it, "I tried but it won't. You look so sexy when you glare." Drawing the curtains closed, Midori said acidly, "It's because you're drunk! Take your hand out of your pants Sirius Black!"

"But it won't work!" He was adorable even when panicked. She groaned and reminded herself he was blackmailing her.

"Midoriiiiiii, maybe it'll work if you touch it?" He implored, prodding at his crotch. If only she had a camera... now _that_ would be a great weapon for blackmail.

"Of course it's not working! You drank enough to make a giant impotent!"

"Bollocks! I'm impotent!" Sirius howled dramatically, snatching his hands away. "Poppy! Poppy!"

"Sorry 'bout that mate! There may be potions you could take!" James called through the curtain from the left somewhere.

Midori didn't know whether to laugh or cry, jumping up when Madame Pomfrey walked through the curtains demanding, "What's this nonsense about impotent Mr. Black? Have you not paid heed to any of the talks we've had when you came to me in forth year?"

"No, I've been careful!" Sirius spluttered then tried to sit up. "I'm disease free Poppy, it's just that it's _not working_."

"He might be incontinent too." Midori said, feeling a little petty at the reminder Sirius Black was promiscuious and proud. Leaving a howling and outraged Sirius she started to leave but couldn't, failing to to tug her hand free from a death-grip.

"She's leaving me! She can't leave me!" Sirius bellowed. "Help me! I'm impotent! She won't leave me if I'm not, Poppy, you like me right? Don't let her leave me. I love her, she has really pretty nip-"

Midori slapped a hand over his mouth, beet red.

"Help _me_ , I have a migraine forming," Midori said as Pomfrey clicked her tongue and drew out a small stoppered bottle from her robes. "This will help," she said firmly to Sirius then asked Midori to remove her hand.

"You say a word, _one word_ , and I'll make sure you're impotent," Midori hissed at Sirius before moving her hand. Taking the vial from Pomfrey she helped Sirius sit up then held the medicine to his lips. He regarded her with suspicion, going cross-eyed from the effort, then finally, in a small defeated voice radiating with equal part hope and doubt, said, "It'll help? It'll make me work?"

"Yes," Madame Pomfrey said, failing to suppress a smile, "Now hurry and drink up dear, I have other patients to see."

"I'm not gonna be impotent." Sirius informed Midori proudly. Pomfrey let out a polite cough while a muffled voice called out, "I'm sorry you're impotent Padfoot! If the potion doesn't work don't worry, you can still be a parent, I'll let you be the godfather of our – _ow!_ Stop that woman!" A dramatically loud groan ensued followed by a worried, "Are you infertile? We can work around that–"

"Arrugh!" Lily's frustrated scream echoed through the ward. Some rustling then whispers silenced Potter.

"Pity I only have enough for one," Pomfrey said feelingly as Midori followed her from a sedated Sirius's bedside.

Midori was on her way out of the ward when Remus strolled in. He thrust a flask at her and u-turned before she could stop him, muttering something about not letting Pomfrey know he was there. Sighing, she made her way back and found Madame Pomfrey arguing with an irate James Potter while Lily, face on fire, struggled to get him to shut up.

"I'm not saying I'm going to impregnate her _now_ , I just want to know –" James was saying earnestly before his words were stemmed by Lily jamming her fingers into his mouth. He closed his eyes and began to suck, causing Lily to make a strangled sound and turning redder.

"Here," Midori said, shoving the flask at Lily. "Get him to drink this, it'll cure his impotence."

"I'm not impotent!" James raged around Lily's fingers, glaring up at Midori. "Unlike Padfoot _I_ work fine. I'll show you!"

"No!" Lily and Madame Pomfrey shouted.

"Maybe another time." Midori smirked. "For now just take it. It'll will stop you from premature performance issues."

"I do not have performance issues, premature or otherwise!" He shot her a heated look. "Go away you harpy!"

"That's not what I've heard," Midori refuted, practically chirping. "Don't worry Evans, I'm sure he's improved by now."

"Ignore him Potter. Take the damn Potion." With Lily's dubiously-effective coaxing James finally conceded and drank the flask full of contents which Midori half-hoped was poison but probably wasn't given the extensive sniffing and testing spells Madame Promfrey subjected it. "Whoever made this Head Clearing Broth deserves a medal." She declared.

"I did." Midori said without a trace of guilt. "I'll take fifty points."

"Yes. Fifty points to Slytherin."

Ignoring Lily's glare and the blistering query why she didn't give it to "one of the idiots" sooner, Midori shrugged and lied, "I couldn't decide which idiot needed it the most," laughing as she recalled Arthur Weasley's terror of Sirius.

A series of violent shudders over took James, distracting Lily. His head rolled back into his eyes as he fell limp against the sheets and Lily turned white, shaking him vigorously.

"Potter? Potter! _James!_ "

"Told you he has performance issues," Midori smirked, walking away as Lily worked herself into a vocal hysteria, ignoring Madame Pomfrey's reassurance James was having a normal reaction.

Taking advantage of Sirius's worry, she escaped Hospital wing and let out a pent-up breath.

 _Boys_. They were a complication she _didn't_ need. Footsteps behind her had Midori turning, wand ready before Andromeda held up both arms.

"Hey, I'll walk you back." She offered.

Midori nodded and found herself regretting company as Andromeda started chatting about Christmas plans.

"I thought you went home with Edward for Christmas." She said, eyeing the older girl with curiosity.

"We did but… they're Muggles… and, well, it's not easy _not_ using magic." Andromeda said. Despite her breezy tone there was something Andy wasn't telling her but Midori decided it wasn't any of her business. Silence accompanied them to the Basements but just before they gave the password to the correct wall Andromeda stopped her.

"Hey, listen. Sirius really likes you."

Midori gave a cavalier shrug while her stomach somersaulted. "I know."

"Don't… don't hurt him will you? He's a really good guy beneath all that, well," Andromeda made a face then laughed, "You know. He's decent. He may be a little stubborn and frustratingly immature at times but he's loyal to the bone and he's a good man, he's got more substance than just his looks."

"I know." Midori said again, hoping the conversation would end but instead, Andromeda gave her a long soul-searching look that left her squirming inside and said, "Sleepover?"

"What?"

The girls of Slytherin House didn't have sleepovers for the same reason cats didn't share a litter box. It was utterly beneath them.

"I'll tell you the stories he doesn't want you to know and you're dying to know," Andromeda offered. It was tempting but Midori couldn't help but wonder the other girl's motive – was it simply because she was looking out for her cousin or… or something she couldn't quite put her finger on but her gut said Andromeda wasn't trying to attempt a friendship out of sheer kindness. Curiosity said to investigate even as a part of her worried about falling asleep in the vicinity of someone else's presence who she didn't trust.

"Ok. Fine. Don't touch my hair or try to paint my nails."

Andromeda laughed and after giving the password, walked into the Slytherin Common Room beside her, still laughing. As Midori debated whether she wanted to sleep in her own bed and thus allow Andreomeda into her territory and private space they were confronted by an unlikely couple: Igor Karkaroff and Severus Snape.

I thought all the Slytherin went home, Midori thought grumpily. What was happening, this mass return exodus? Surely it couldn't be because of the Christmas puddings or turkey feast.

"Finished admiring the sight yet?" Snape sneered.

"No." Midori's hand flew over her heart. "Give me another minute Snape. I'm truly flabbergasted here, tell me how exactly did you manage to escape a haircut in your sixteen years of life so far?"

"Don't bully him." Andromeda admonished, tugging on her arm.

Midori stiffened at the touch but allowed herself to be pulled away.

"Why do you hate him?"

"Hate implies strong sentiments. Mine's more of a passive dislike."

"He's not bad, Severus."

"His hairy is greasier than a slicked pig and his nose. His nose!"

"We can't all be beautiful." Andromeda sighed, "Surely you can't dislike someone because of their appearance."

"Normally no, but Snape? He looks like the lovechild between a bat with the world's biggest nose and someone without a shred of self-esteem and has no concept sunlight is actually good for you."

Andromeda let out a snort at that then ushered her into the hallway to the bedrooms.

"I thought it was just one passage," Midori said as they bypassed her room and reached a tri-fork which split into further branches until finally, after much twisting and turning they located Andromeda's room.

"Nah, you're just lucky your room's so close to the Commons."

"Right." It wasn't luck that her room was so close to Bellatrix's.

"So what happened to Narcissa?" Midori as asked she took in Andromeda's room. Like hers, it was vast and spacious but there was no sign of luxury, instead the room was minimalistic and there were only two beds without frills.

"She'll be back by the New Year." Andromeda said with a small shrug. "Dad will go to war with the governors if they don't let her back." There was a trace of bitterness in her voice as if she begrudged her father's affection for his other daughters that clearly eluded her.

After rummaging through her trunks Andromeda tossed something at her.

"Chocolate Frog?"

"I like my chocolate inanimate." Midori said, freezing the frog still in its packaging. "Oh look, Bowman Wright, inventor of the Golden Snitch. Didn't they use to use Golden Snidgets before that? Poor birds."

"Indeed. I got Salazar again." A sigh. "You know, there's a rumor he built a panic room in this castle."

"The Chamber of Secrets, yeah. It makes sense if you think about it." Midori said musingly. "The Hogwarts Four founded this place during witch-burning times. Give me another one."

"You didn't even eat your Frog." Andromeda said, throwing a poor croaking specimen at her head.

"We _just_ had dinner." Midori said, wondering if Sirius's appetite was in the DNA. Andromeda had cleared away a dozen Sugar Quills in the short time since she sat down.

"Suit yourself. I didn't get to eat thanks to Frank. What's his problem with Edward anyway?"

"He mistook your boyfriend for a broccoli." Midori said, giggling at the recollection.

Andromeda didn't find it so funny which made Midori laugh all that harder. The conversation turned from boys and broccoli to the the odds of James Potter ever getting the girl. Midori personally thought he had a good chance but Andromeda wasn't convinced even though she sang his praises. From there everything and nothing important was discussed and despite having never participated in a girl's night Midori found herself relaxing and getting a hang of it enough to let down her guard a little, relaying Frank's proposal and subsequent declaration of war on all things green, causing Andromeda to roar with laughter, slapping the bed repeating, "I get it now, I get it!" Braving a great many number of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, eventually her energy depleted and Midori muttered, "They'll be ok, won't they?" and fell asleep without hearing Andromeda's reply.


	15. Chapter 15

Let's just pretend I never went away shall we? It's been a long hiatus so without further ado please accept my apologies with this chapter.

 **15.**

There was an Erumpent horn embedded in his brain and several more lodged in his chest.

Sirius marveled this must be what the runts who couldn't make the Gryffindor team felt toward the end of Quiddich trials. Fire streaked his veins as he slid from bed.

Not once after the brutal matches had he ever felt like this. Merlin, how much _had_ he drank? He couldn't tell if it was day or night, eyes gritty as he forced them open.

Crumpling as gravity took hold, trying to overcome the shock of pain, his head whipped up as a tart voice remarked,

"I've always wanted you to crawl on your knees but can you make a little less noise?"

Midori looked a vision, an angel kicked out for heaven for being too sexy but there was nothing angelic or sexy about her attitude as she jabbed her wand into his side, using a leveraging spell to hoist him upright, snarling as he tried to draw her in for a kiss,

"You need to brush your teeth!"

Without makeup, she looked laughably wholesome, dainty features flushed rose from the bitter cold, lush lips compressed into a line, challenging him to plump them.

She smelled incredible, candied peaches, and a vanilla dream as he buried his face into her hair.

As Slytherin as she was, she didn't hex him, withdrawing the pointed tip from his ribs, pocketing her wand as she helped him dress.

Rather than alerting Madam Pomfrey of his return to conciousness, Midori left a note on the rumpled sheets and helped Sirius stagger from Hospital Wing.

Sunlight stabbed his eyes as pins and needles pricked his feet. Gryffindor Tower was closer than the Dungeons but what Sirius wouldn't give to lay down in a deep, dark hole for a few days.

"What's the time?" He groaned as snowflakes eddied through the windows, searing as they landed on his skin.

Castles, even magical ones, were notoriously drafty, utterly dismal insulating against the elements. Whenever duels occurred and resultant damage breached the walls, camouflaging spells masked the holes until a first-year inevitably pitched through and alerted teachers of its existence.

"It's eleven in the morning but we're invited for dinner tomorrow evening." Midori clipped, fear leashed beneath disdain. "Our parents are hosting a ball–"

"A _what?_ " Sirius crashed to a stop, horrified.

"A ball." Midori snapped. "We'll eat, dance, and try not to die–"

"Hold on, you agreed to go _why?_ "

"Duty," Midori flinched as he seized her, grip hard enough to bruise. "We have to bug a mansion–"

"A mansion? I don't live in a bloody–"

"Listen," Midori jabbed finger into a steely chest, fighting the sudden urge to explore the expanse of intriguingly twitching muscles. "Here's what you missed while I've been swamped by owls. Somehow – and I know this is difficult to believe – but _somehow,_ there's rumors we tried to elope because I'm pregnant. Close your mouth, I'm _not!_

"My parents are going to flay me to ribbons when we suffer our funeral but on the bright side, yours are over the bloody moon. Honor has been restored to the House of Black since I've made you see the light," Midori snapped her fingers, venom dripping, "Look, if it makes you feel better, your leige Dumbledore has given permission."

Silence dominated as she searched Sirius's expression, utterly inscrutable, his body rigid like stone.

"Does this mean I have to wear a _suit?_ " He finally asked, scrubbing his face. "Tomorrow, you say?"

How many hours had he been out? Surely the world couldn't change that drastically in several hours.

"Why does the world think we're pregnant, kitten?" He asked as she resumed stomping toward the Tower.

"Your dear cousin Bella," Midori sneered beneath her breath. "I was in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom throwing up. Apparently, Bella's been having morning sickness."

Sirius barked a laugh, humorless, incredulous. "Bella, pregnant? Fifty gallons says she aborts the child."

"She already has. I looked through Pomfrey's records while you were sleeping. Did you know 52% of spells and 43% of potions fail because of shoddy wandwork or inadequate Potion skills?"

"Are you sure you're not pregnant?" Sirius asked as they crashed into the empty Common Room. "Imagine our little girl, kitten, she could rule the world."

Midori anchored hands over her hips, banishing the image from mind. "This isn't a game, Black! This is my life on the line and I don't – I can't – _I don't want to be involved in any of this!"_

She was too young to shackle herself to a boy with gray eyes and a devil-may-care smile with a chip on his shoulder and heroic tendencies. She was too young to play house or even think of having raising a baby and yet, compounding an existential crisis with an early mid-life crisis, she was doing exactly that, envisioning a daughter she never knew she wanted and Sirius chasing after a fictional toddler bellowing at the top of his lungs.

"Why were you throwing up?" Sirius asked, jarring Midori from reverie.

Recalling the contents of several letters, she shook her head. "Cat urine. Stinks up the corridors."

"Uh huh," Sirius wished he had the strength to challenge her as he collapsed into his dorm room, flopping onto Prong's bed. "Come here and cuddle me."

"You're out of your mind. You need a shower and we need to practice duelling. We need to raid the dungeons again and stock up on bezoars. Do you think we can milk Fawkes?"

"He's a boy!"

"Phoenixes are intersex." Midori rolled her eyes. "We learned that in Fourth Year."

"Phoenix tears are better at counteracting poison." Sirius pointed out. "And Fawkes isn't pregnant."

"You can't _force_ a phoenix to cry and he doesn't have to be pregnant to lactate."

"How the bloody hell does it work?" Sirius muttered. "And how big _is_ your house?"

Midori grimaced, sinking at the edge of Sirius's bed. "Fifteen bedrooms, three ball rooms, servant's quarters – that's going to be enlarged with Lulu gone – a library, father's study, the kitchens, four sitting rooms –"

"Hang on, what century is this? You have _sitting_ rooms?"

Midori shrugged. "We also have tea rooms and receiving rooms."

"This isn't Victorian England. Funny how much in common the Purebloods have with the stuffy Muggle aristocrats. You're not so different, are you?"

Midori sniffed.

"Don't like Muggles?" Sirius asked, nonchalantly.

"I took Muggle Studies during my first year." Midori revealed.

"And?"

"And? They're too different. We'll never integrate. Look, they're not all bad. They invented indoor plumbing and they have these nifty things called electricity and wireless internet. If we could illuminate the castle more effectively and find a way to broadcast and share data worldwide–"

Sirius snorted, drawing the curtains closed with a spell. "Get real, Miri. Our world is never going to open its doors. What Muggles don't understand they fear, and fear brews violence and hatred. You have to kill the threat before it kills you even if what you don't know may not be a threat."

"You admire them, don't you? Muggles," Midori said, tilting her head.

"They're not so different to us, and look at the witches and wizards they've produced! Look at Evans and Dirk Cresswell–"

"Slughorn's favorites." Midori sniffed.

"Is that jealousy I detect, kitten?"

Midori rolled her eyes, leaping to her feet. "So are you going to lounge there all day or are you going to shower and help me transfigure radio transmitters into chandelier sticks?"

"Radio transmitters?" Sirius asked blankly.

"They're little devices that transmit sound – Muggle Studies," Midori said impaitently, "Take a class someday."

"Electronic devices don't work near magic." Sirius pointed out.

"Sound is a wave. Muggles don't hold monopoly on the realm of physics. Get out of bed."

"Take a shower with me?" Sirius wagged his eyebrows, groaning as he rolled to his feet. Even hungover he made the motion look graceful.

"I'm not in the – hey!" Midori yelped as Sirius snagged her by the waist.

"I'm multitasking, we'll plot while I shower."

Mouth drying as Sirius stripped, the sight water of rippling muscles and water sluicing over his chiselled body rendered her literally speechless. He beckoned with a crook of his fingers and a knowing smirk.

Midori folded her arms, hormones rioting, trying to calm the heart trying to break through her ribcage to get to him.

"Hurry up, we have work to do." Frustration shortened her syllables. "Stop – _stop touching yourself –_ "

"All work and no play–"

Midori withdrew her wand, smirking as Sirius cupped his erection, lurching backward, lips peeled into a snarl, "Don't you –"

"Don't dare me, Black." Midori struggled for composure, "Finish your shower and come find me in the library. I have a feeling those nasty people we saw in the forest will be at the ball and nastier people we don't even know about it."

She slammed a spell into the showerhead and rushed out the door, slamming the door on Sirius's outraged bellow.

Cheeks burning as she tried to banish Sirius from mind, her mood rapidly sobered as she contemplated of the task ahead.

Walburga Black might be too elated to look closer beneath the surface but her relationship with Sirius Black would draw the kind of scrutiny that made Midori's blood curl.

Distant and exacting Norman Brooks may be but like all fathers, something inexpicably male roused whenever a boy came sniffing at his daughter's door. A Gryffindor with no ambition wasn't the kind of man a Pureblood wanted for a son-in-law, and Sirius wasn't known to be cool-headed when provoked.

Biting her lip, Midori envisioned the baiting and taunts ahead. Would Sirius rise to the defense of Muggle-borns and throw the whole charade into jeopordy?

If only Lulu could report on the attendants of the dinner party.

The Portkey Dumbledore had given her was a wad of gum currently stuck to the bottom of her favorite pair of boots in her dorm. Easy access, virtually guaranteed to make anyone attending the ball turn up their nose at the thought of touching it should it dislodge from place, and not uncommon at the Brooks manor.

Her father had loudly lamented the peasants and their filthy habit of chewing gum. Privately, Midori thought they did so to prevent accidentally calling him a buffoon to his face.

Sirius found her pouring over what appeared to be old, moth-eaten diaries in the Common Room, twisting a curl back over her ear, water dripping onto the pages as he pulled her into his side.

"What are you studying, kitten? Class won't start until next week."

Jabbing a finger at a page, Midori tried not to sink into Sirius's heat and solidarity.

"Memory Charm. I have a feeling we'll be encountering a few. The venom of the Swooping Evil also has powerful amnesiac properties so we need to be on guard."

"Why are we doing this again?"

"To save the world," Midori said sarcastically. "Or at least play out part in it by laying the foundations. Look, this spell will lock our minds and make it harder for someone to _Obliviate_ us–"

"It could also erase our memories or make us into drooling vegetables. Forget it," Sirius snapped after scanning the warnings. "Who wrote this?"

"A witch." Midori said, heart twisting at the thought of her late grandmother. Bailey Brooks was ahead of her time, a genuis the world would never know, declared dangerous and mentally unsound by the authorities for having the gall to invent and explore the realm of magic mundane minds simply couldn't comprehend.

"Merlin's bollocks, look at this thing," Sirius muttered as he flipped through, "Where did you get this book?"

Slamming a hand over the book, Midori's eyes flashed. "How good is your wand work, Black? A soldier doesn't go into battle without wearing Kelvar and we're not walking into this nightmare without preparation."

"Why don't we just get some Kelvar?"

"Bullets don't penetrate flesh if it's within a a three inch radio of a wand. It'll simply disintegrate. That's why we don't fight our wars with guns and carry our wands everywhere."

"And here I thought the _Avada Kevada_ curse was just a more dramatic way to off someone."

They had 39 hours, Midori checked her watch. 39 hours to prepare for all manners of treachery.

Sirius dropped a kiss to her nose, tugging her from her seat as something rumbled.

"You're hungry?" She asked, incredulous.

"A man needs to eat," Sirius shrugged, "Come on, kitten, I'll show you where the Kitchens are. How are your Potions coming along?"

"I need those pixies." Midori's fists clenched.

"I know a place in Ireland. We can go for a romantic stroll in the woods and kidnap some."

"How are we going to do that?"

"We won't come back here after dinner. We'll tell Dumbledore we're staying put at your place and our parents will think we're back at Hogwarts."

Midori couldn't help but roll her eyes. "It won't be that simple."

"Of course not but I have a flying bike and I'm dying to test it out, so what do you say?"

* * *

Someone pointed out James Potter was a Chaser. He is in the books but in the film he was a Seeker so I'm going with the film version b/c I'm too lazy to go back and change everything. I'm not sure changing his position will have too much effect on what I'm trying to achieve, mainly making Sirius jealous for no other reason than for Midori – and by proxy my amusement.


	16. Chapter 16

For the anon who requested smut, I tried. I didn't have any time to write (so many deadlines!) except a short plane ride and let me tell you the guy sitting next to me was fucking _nosy._

 **16.**

Midori woke abruptly, jarred by a demonic snarl.

The figure beside her twisted and growled like a rabid dog.

As she eased onto her hunches, her hands smoothed over his jerking body, trying to impart comfort, wondering what nightmares plagued him as his expression twisted, defiant in face of imaginary death.

Slowly his rumbles died down as Midori found herself distracted by the intriguing dips and valleys of his sculpted form. She admired him with her hands and eyes, relaxing as his breathing calmed, still erratic, chest heaving as his fists knotted.

Unlike most people, Sirius Black didn't look peaceful in repose.

Tracing a blunt erection nudging at her hand, marveling its searing texture and heat, Midori jerked her hands away as a groan rattled the air, berating herself for molesting an unconscious man.

Gray eyes cracked open, a voice of smoke and glass demanding, "Put them back, kitten. I was enjoying that."

"You're awake!" Midori accused, cheeks blazing. "You should've said something!"

Before she could escape, he seized her. Overriding half-hearted efforts to escape, Sirius forced her to straddle him, his growl drowning out her gasp.

Drenched in liquid fire, he snarled as her thighs clamped tight, nails raking brunched shoulders as Midori resisted his efforts to notch inside.

"You could try _asking_." Her voice emerged breathless instead of tart, embarrassingly wet as Sirius nudged for entry. "What were you dreaming about?"

"You." His big body starting to shake, sparking delicious friction as he began impaling her. "You started this, kitten. You better finish it."

Midori shook her head, whimpering as he nipped her lower lip. Pleasure ripped open her spine as her tongue dueled his, trying to keep her thighs viced, trying to remember why she was stalling when every cell clamored for completion.

Sirius delivered a series of stinging slaps, the shock unlocking her muscles long enough to jerk her hips forward, sliding in without effort.

Fighting for air, fighting to stay conscious, their pelvises collided with such force she was amazed something didn't break. Savage thrusts rocked the bed, her ragged breathing colliding mid-air with his snarls she needed to eat more so he wouldn't have to restrain himself.

Her breathing ran ragged as a calloused hand sought her clit. As he gently pinched and soothed her needy nub, she lost her mind.

A distant crack registered through the haze of pleasure.

Without warning, Sirius lifted her clean off and rolled out from bed.

Braced against the sheets, trying to process the agony of unfulfilled lust, Midori decided death would've been kinder as violent shivers wracked her.

Tears of frustration blurred her vision. She didn't mean to break his bones. For a Beater he was bloody fragile. Surely his pain tolerance couldn't be so low?

Belatedly she realized his rigid body shielded her from an unknown threat, a wand gripped in hand yet pointed at the ground.

Scrambling upright, Midori peaked over his shoulder and gasped.

Lulu clutched a Goblin-wrought chalice brimming with stoppered bottles, eyes wide, ears drooped.

Horror warred with humiliation. Midori managed to string enough words together even though they emerged barely audible. "Can you give us a minute – five minutes, Lulu?"

A _crack_ later she found herself facing an enraged Sirius Black.

"Five minutes?" He asked ominously.

Tossing her hair, fighting a grin, Midori goaded, "Three?" Shrieking as Sirius tackled her, pinning her against the bed.

Sinking her teeth into a hard shoulder, pleasure clawed open her spine as he thrust home. Fleshy sounds of skin on skin echoed in the silence, her scream muffled into his shoulder, his release branding her from within.

Midori draped across a sweaty chest, sticky, sated, purring as calloused hands caressed her spine and kneaded her ass. She was too sore for another round even as he aroused lust back to fever pitch.

Something wet trickled onto her thighs as he nibbled her earlobe, clever fingers rolling her nipples.

Horror obliterated desire as Midori ripped from him, slapping a hand to his chest.

A tinny note of fear cracked her urgency. "We didn't cast a spell! That's what I forgot – we didn't cast a spell!"

Supremely unconcerned, he attempted to pull her back down, sighing as she hissed, "I don't want your baby, Black!"

"Ever?"

"If you don't get out of this bed, yes!"

"We'll go see Poppy." Sirius stretched luxuriously, "Calm down."

Midori twisted his nipple, gratified by his bellow as she darted across the room.

The wizarding world's insistence on clinging to tradition sometimes aggrevated Midori. Pomfrey refused to stock the little white pills Muggle used for two reasons: she prided herself on her Mapresatin Malady, an unbearably sour potion that contained putrid lumps not unsimiliar to dead roaches in appearance and texture; and to teach the lesson prevent was better than the cure for most women, having suffered the Malady once never forgot to forgo contraception again.

Midori had always prided herself for being a rational, intelligent witch but faced with the prospect of taking her second Mapresatin Malady, her pride took a nose-dive.

A _crack_ startled her into crashing into the drawer.

Lulu bowed, chalice in hand.

"Told you we only needed five minutes," Midori muttered, pushing Sirius back. He was terrifying the poor Elf, six four inches of irate male.

Bending to her knees, grasping her friend, Midori asked, "What is it?"

"Poison." Lulu's lips trembled. "Mistress… The dinner tonight… Don't go."

Icy from shock, Midori hastily snatched the chalice and examined the vials. Nothing was labelled, all odorless, the colours ranging from the palest green to the deepest purple but colour alone didn't narrow down the thousands of possible threats that could bring about her downfall tonight.

"Where did you get this?"

Ears flattening against her skull, the woebegone creature confided in a watery quaver, ""Lulu intercepted some owls but not all."

Sirius spoke, startling them both. "Can you detoxify the meals for us?"

Lulu shook her head, hands clasped and twisting. "An antidote is the only cure. Lulu is banished. She cannot return to the manor. Don't go. Don't let Mistress–"

Suddenly stiffening, she cried, "Lulu must go!"

"Are dinner parties at your place always so treacherous?" Sirius asked darkly as a _crack_ resounded.

Midori expelled a breath, charming her hair into a braid. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

Mind shying from trying to recall dinner times from the past, Midori muttered. "I was sent to boarding school when I was six – _what are you doing to my bookshelf?_ "

"Drawing you a bath." Sirius's lips twitched. "I've never seen a woman so rifled after leaving my bed."

Midori muttered a spell, sending a swarm of shadow flying mantises at his face.

He redirected them to her Morbius Plant.

After a bath Sirius insisted on sharing resulting on water damage to most of her floors, Midori concealed the hickey on Black's neck and watched him transfigure the tub back into a bookshelf, scowling when she noted several waterlogged spines.

"Come on, kitten, unless you want my baby, we need to see Poppy."

She stomped all the way to Hospital Wing and managed to restrain herself emptying the brew over Sirius's head when he grew visibly impatient as she braved sips between cramming her mouthful of stale Macarized Macaroons from Pomfrey's secret stash.

"Is there a remedy to make him temporarily infertile?" Midori glared as Sirius paused mid-stride to arrow a look at her.

"I'm afraid not. I'll draft you some Prophylaxis Potions."

Struggling to her gag reflex as the potion churned in her stomach, Midori palmed her flat belly, chewing vigorously on a sour crunchy ball, every taste bud in her mouth violently rebelling.

Childbirth and changing diapers were starting to look preferable to the special hell of drinking a Malady.

Sheltered away at Hogwarts, she'd forgotten there were tabloids waiting to devour the society princess her parents had raised.

School was like a bubble, far removed from it all, and Hogwarts more remote than most.

Since the announcement of the Winter Ball by the Houses of Black and Brooks, the tabloids had gone into a frenzy. Normally such announcements preceded the announcement of an engagement.

She supposed it was her fault. She was the one who helped Black men his 'intentions'.

Coupling his parent's public renouncement of their eldest son and her unwanted position as a belle of society, naturally the world's curiosity was peaked they were joining in matrimony.

Midori paled as she scanned the headlines, not English but German.

One of the reasons why she insisted on Hogwarts over other schools was the fact no one could Apparate or Disapparate within its grounds. The last thing she needed was bodyguards shadowing and reporting her every move throughout her school years or reporters showing up when she least expected them as they'd done during her childhood boarding at Krippemagie.

Midori crumpled the article and tossed it into the fireplace, setting it ablaze. She couldn't believe a journalist had highlighted her as an example why Purebloods were superior and should only breed within their own lines.

If Polyjuice Potion didn't taste so fetid she would've assumed a new identity. There was a race war brewing. She could smell blood in the air.

Her mother's letter, seventeen inches of parchment including a reminder on the finer points of etiquette. Midori burned the instructions and poured over several new spells she might be forced to try out over dinner.

Sirus's cousins were to be in attendance and just her luck Narcissa was going to bring her wonderful beau.

Knowing her parents they'd put on at least six courses. That entailed at least two hours of scrutiny.

Midori didn't know how she was going to fool the Black sisters or survive the interrogation over dinner as she stewed, resentful over being commandeered by Dumbledore and his Order.

It was _preposterous_. Even Muggles had legislations prohibiting recruitment of child-soldiers! Never had she ever aspired to be a spook or even toyed with the idea.

Flipping through her grandmother's notes, Midori picked up her wand.

Sirius had steadfast refused to trial the Mindlock Spell and reminded her angrily she needed to be fully conscious whenever he fucked her. Who knew he was such a smooth-talking bastard? Alas, she decided she was going to have to risk it.

As a child her parents were fond of removing bad memories. There were still imprints of emotion but a blank where there should've been a recollection. The residual trauma didn't fade even after the event was banished from mind.

Eight came and passed, nine and ten disappearing. Fifteen minutes to eleven Sirius Black cracked open his eyes.

"Morning." He said scratchily as he sat. "Miri? Why is there a parliament in your room?"

"What?"

"Owls." Sirius gestured at the dozens of birds perched on the canopied beds.

"Because I have mail," Midori stifled a yawn. "Get up. It's almost lunch time. I want to throw a few hexes at you before tonight."

Sirius groaned, turning to bury his face into a pillow.

"We can always cancel."

"No. We're going. I want to show you off."

Midori threw a book at Sirius which he fended one-handed. She sent a paperweight crashing across the air and transformed it into an cannon ball.

Sirius dove off the bed, grabbing his wand as he countered a jinx.

"What is with you this morning? Oi – stop that, you bloody Bludger – _Relashio –_ Miri, put that – _impedimenta! –_ what are you – _expelliarmus!"_

"Immobulus!' Midori countered.

"Silencio!" Sirius managed to land the hit.

Owls bottlenecked the chute trying to race from the room, feathers eddying through the air.

Midori glowered at Sirius, pointing at her throat.

"Finite Incantatem. What the bloody hell was that, Miri?"

"Don't. Call. Me. A. Pet."

"Right-o." Sirius eyed her warily, pointing at something floating above, protected by Dust Eaters. "Are you wearing that? Merlin, I thought we were going to dinner, not getting married."

The dress was ripped straight from a fairytale but updated to modern times, diaphanous and whimsical, a snow-white creation from a fashion house in the Muggle world Midori twice enchanted to resist tearing and stains.

"Your dress robes are in my closet," Midori banished the idea of their wedding from taking root in her mind, "I ordered them from Madam Vate's. Potter gave me your measurements."

"Forget it, I'm wearing a tux."

"You _can't –_ my parents – _your_ parents will hex you for wearing Muggle clothes!" Midori scowled.

"That's Dior," Sirius pointed up, "If I'm not mistaken that's a Muggle creation."

"Look, it was cheap–"

"Dior is _not_ cheap–"

"How do you know so much about women's fashion?"

"Look, I'm wearing a tux– "

"I'm not going to this stupid thing because I want to, I'm going for you and your stupid Order! You're supposed to showyou've _reformed,_ not flaunt your love for Muggle things–"

"You write with pens," Sirius gestured at her desk, "You can't quite transfigure them into quills, can you?"

Midori flushed, moving to his view of several odd-looking writing implements with feathers sticking out of semi-transparent barrels.

Almost smug as he unearthed her packets of ballpoint pens, Sirius transfigured them all into gleaming gold thunderbird quills.

"You'll have to renew the spell in a month but it should hold at least for a full lunar cycle."

"Where did you learn that?" Midori frowned, failing to transfigure a pencil into a quill.

"Trial and error. Come on, I'm hungry."

"No, I need to practice–"

"Another time," Sirius grasped her hand, "I'll transfigure all your stationary for you in the meantime. Have you eaten?"

"I wasn't hungry."

"I worry about you," he muttered. "What's your deal with food?"

Midori shook her head. "Nothing."

"Uh huh. What's your favorite food?"

Midori shook her head. "You have a strange fixation with food, Black."

In the Great Hall, several third-years roasted chestnuts over candles. Midori's heart panged, overcome by sudden fear. She had six months left before she had to face a tribunal at Wizengamot, and one year left before she had to leave the safety of Hogwarts.

Lunch consisted of sampling assorted soups Sirius fed her, vanquishing spills before they set, and battling increasingly maudlin thoughts.

"How are we getting to your house, kitten?" Sirius asked as he wolfed down Cauldron Cakes while she dragged him back toward the Dungeons.

"Floo." Midori said grimly. "We'll be arriving in the West Wing and clear inspection before disembarking for dinner."

"Perhaps you should run the evening's schedule by me."

Midori pulled out photos of the mansion, projecting the interior into a hologram with a nifty spell.

"From here, we'll descend into the receiving room – yes, Black, like a debutante – and we'll go through here into – that's my grandmother, she was a Veela – yes, technically I'm a quarter Veela – _no, I do not turn into a harpy –_ this is the formal dining room – I think my father would prefer the word opulent–"

It was difficult explaining the layout with the constant interruptions but strangely, she wasn't annoyed. After pointing out exit routes, Black transfigured radio transmitters into pebbles to drop into assorted plants they picked out.

He was exceedingly talented at Transfiguration, Midori realized. It was the most scientific discipline of magic, the most complex and dangerous magic taught at Hogwarts, forcing objects to change by altering them at a molecular level. There was no room for errors, precision absolute.

"What O.W.L. did you get for Transfiguration?" Midori asked curiously.

"Outstanding because that's what I am." Black patted his thigh. "Come sit on me, pretty baby."

Rolling her eyes, Midori summoned a notebook and disabled several charms. "Practise these, will you? We might need them tonight."

"This is dark stuff, kitten." Sirius's eyes widened, "Where the hell did you get all this?"

"Practise." Midori said sternly, pointing at the door. "We're not playing in the kiddie pool, we're swimming with sharks and you need all the spells you can master. Go find an empty classroom and come find me before six. I've got things to do."

/

Sirius found his fellow Marauders in the boy's dorm hovering over a box that wasn't quite a box.

One side was slightly indented and covered in glass, random small dots and a droning noise flickering beneath.

"The Ravenclaws have these things all over the Tower," Lupin explained, manipulating aerials, "It's called a TV. Prongs is determined to watch Doctor Who."

"What for?"

"Lily likes the show." Lupin said wryly.

"Right-o. Can you gits stop fondling that thing and help me with some spells?"

"Merlin," Prongs breathed after a quick read-through, thrusting the notebook into Moony's hand. "Where did you get this, Padfoot? Can you imagine using the Exploding Boils Jinx on Snivellus?"

Sirius grinned. "We need practice first."

"Planning to kill someone?" Wormtail inquired when it was his turn to flip through the notebook. "Blimey, Padfoot, some of these spells…"

"How many years will I get for matricide?" Sirius asked contemplatively.

"A girl like Brooks won't wait for you if you rot in Azkaban." Prongs warned. "I still can't believe you managed to get a girl that hot with blackmail."

The afternoon passed in the blink of an eye, ending when Wormtail collapsed after several rounds of Vertigo Jinxes, clutching his head.

Sirius visited Dumbledore's office after dropping his friend in Hospital Wing.

There were occupants in the Slytherin Dorms so he'd been forced to trek back to Gryffindor Tower and borrow Prong's invisibility cloak, rendering him forty minutes late.

Midori spun as he slipped into her room, eyes widening as Sirius emerged from beneath the cloak.

Blinded by lust, Sirius could barely speak as she stomped toward him. "You're not even dressed! We're late!"

"We're going to be more late," he said roughly.

"How did you know where my room was?"

""I have a map, I'll show you sometime. Take off your dress, kitten, I might rip it."

"No!" Midori balked as Sirius stalked toward her, eyes gleaming. "We're having dinner with–"

"They can wait, we're the star attraction. You can be my pre-dinner snack."

Midori forgot about the painstaking time it took to perfect her lipstick as Sirius's lips sealed over hers.

Decadent. He tasted decadent, rich and sinful, like chocolate after midnight when a woman dieted.

Her dress pooled at her feet, skin hypersensitive to touch as calloused hands smoothed over her bare flesh.

"No bra?" Sirius nipped her earlobe, sending fire flashing through her blood.

"Lined. It's lined." Midori's eyes slammed shut.

Her panties sailed somewhere across the room, her yelp muffled as Sirius pried her thighs.

"Wait!"

Her back hit the sheets, goose bumps erupting all over as he hooked a leg over his shoulder.

"Wait!" She yelped again, nerves frayed. "Sirius…"

"Relax, kitten, you'll like this."

He licked her, laughter muffled between her legs as her shriek fractured into a moan.

She struggled to breathe, pleasure clawing open her spine, screams building in her throat as she writhed, clawing at the sheets.

Nipping her thighs, spreading her wide, Sirius briefly admired the view, deciding his favorite colour was Midori pink, before resuming his tasty meal.

She sobbed as she came, a belated scream forced from her lungs when he thrust two fingers inside her tight passage. As he stroked her back bowed, spine locking as her head thrust back, his name a curse and prayer on her lips.

Sweat sheened Midori's skin, glazed blue eyes taking time to focus as she slowly drifted back to earth.

The muscles in Sirus's back flexed as he ripped off his shirt.

"Turn around, I want to see." She managed to croak.

He barked a laugh as he dropped his pants, turning to pull her into his arms. Her body shuddered, trying to process the overwhelming sensation of Sirius Black molded against her, a very insistent erection probing for entry.

A cluttering down the mail chute froze them both.

"Oh no," Midori plugged her ears as a distinctive red envelope streaked from the owl's talons.

The poor creature plummeted to the ground in shock as a voice boomed, "IF YOU CAN HEAR THIS, YOU'RE LATE YOUNG LADY! WE'RE IN THE COMMON ROOM RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES BEFORE–"

Casting a Silencing Charm on the Howler and immobilizing it quickly, Midori dove for her dress.

"What's the time? Where's my underwear?"

A fireball exploded, smoke choking the air as Sirius set the Howler ablaze.

"We're already late, kitten, we might as well be a little later," Sirius patted a hairy, muscular thigh. "Come back here, let's see if I can turn that hiss into a purr."

Midori glowered, struggling with the zip. There was no time to redo her makeup. Hastily charming her hair into a chignon, she flung clothes at the man laying prone on her bed stroking himself.

"Get up!"

"I _am_ up." He gestured his erection.

"If my father walks in here, I want you dressed!" Midori cast a panicked glance at the door.

The glorious erection wilted before her eyes. She felt a pang of regret as Sirius scrambled to his feet. He dressed in no time at all, raking his hair, filing behind Midori into the Common Room.

Trepidation coiled as she glimpsed a striking witch chatting with Slughorn.

"Sluggie's got the hots for your mum," Sirius whispered into her ear.

The outrageous comment helped steady Midori's nerves. She elbowed him lightly, plastering a smile as Slughorn glanced up, brows furrowing at the sight of Sirius.

Midori stiffened. Merlin, how could she'd forgotten?

Although any witch worth her salt could override the charms laid in place to prevent members of the opposite sex entering their rooms, no one ever flaunted the fact they breached the rules.

"Regulus, I thought you went home for the holidays."

Right, Midori relaxed marginally. A Gryffindor in the Slytherin Dungeons was a rarity on par with the Hufflepuffs winning the Quiddich Cup. Not that Hufflepuffs were _bad_ players. They were just so bloody polite. No killer instincts whatsoever.

Of course it made more sense for Slughorn to believe Sirius was his younger brother. There was an uncanny resemblance between the two although the younger Black had a stick lodged firmly up his sphincter at all times while Sirius acted as if he grew up with wolves.

"Hello mother." Midori risked a glance at Renia Brooks.

Her mother was a decade younger than her appearance belied. The belle of every ball she attended, Renia cast a contemptuous glance at Sirius.

"You can do better than this, pet." Renia said in her native tongue.

Midori forced a smile. "What's father?"

"He's with our guests of honor, pet." Turning to Slughorn, Renia made her apologies, affecting regret, "It's been a pleasure, Horace."

Sirius started at the word _pet._ Midori sank her nails into his arms as he glanced at her, eyebrows drawn.

Unearthing a small pouch and tossing a handful into the merry fire, Renia announced, "Brooks Manor."

Before she stepped into the flames the pouch sailed at Midori.

"Try to picture my bedroom, I don't want you popping out in a room full of people ready to hex you," she whispered to Sirius before grabbing a handful of Floo powder.

It resembled sparkly mixed with ash, as if someone grinded diamonds superfine and mixed them with a handful of leftover embers.

"Don't worry, kitten, I'm picturing that room and you spread beneath me." Sirius murmured, patting her butt.

Someone coughed behind them.

Midori's cheeks flared as she hastily muttered, "Brooks Manor," and raced into the flames.

Like water being sucked down the drain, she spiraled downward, faster and faster, blood roaring in her ears, pressure building behind her eyes…

Just as abruptly as the world spun, everything slammed to a jarring stop. She tumbled onto the floor, trying to gain her bearings, groaning as a baby elephant slammed onto her back.

"This explains a lot," Sirius remarked, plucking her upright, steadying her until she caught her breath. "Your room terrifies me, kitten."

It was a doll's world, everything terrifyingly pristine. There was nothing in sight to reflect her personality.

Midori had the strangest look on her face as her eyes cast about the room.

Sirius followed her to the window, noting the white-knuckle grip she had on her wand.

"What is it, kitten?"

"I don't like it here."

She turned to him, struggling visibly, releasing a pent up breath.

"I don't know why, Sirius. I don't like it here. I don't like this house. I don't like this room." She but her lip, distress bleeding through feigned apathy as she wavered between opening up and locking away her weakness.

Pulling her into him, Sirius demanded, "What, Miri? What did they do to you?"

"Nothing." She shook her head, "Nothing bad. I just… They're not bad parents, Sirius."

"You sound like you're trying to convince yourself." Tension rolled off him like mist coming from the mountains.

Midori spun free, rubbing her arms.

The manor was a quintessential English gem with relics stolen from various cultures over time adorning the militantly manicured lawns below, hoarded away from the public as if to protect from unworthy eyes, several servants toiling away with gardening shears beneath the bright glare of the sun.

Acres of rolling green fields stretched as far as the eye could see. On the opposite side of Midori's room, breathtaking views of a winding river snaked through a lush meadow gleaming with wildflowers.

The manor was paradise.

But snakes slithered in paradise.

And she couldn't remember where they were, she only knew they waited to strike.

There were memories seething in the room, memories the walls and floors absorbed but elusive to her, torn from her mind, echoes of ghosts stirring in her soul.

Something happened in this house.

Fragmented visions swirled before her eyes. She heard her own voice, felt her mother's hand, felt it stroke her hair before a wand tapped her temple.

Someone stole pieces of her before she was young enough to know what she was losing.

Midori knew one thing. She agreed to the mindwipes. She agreed because she wanted the memories gone, that much she remembered.

This was why she avoided home, she acknowledged painfully. There was secrets in this place she never wanted to uncover, secrets better left festering in the dark than dragged into the light.

This place was home, Midori frowned. She should be glad she was home but it felt like a trap.

Scouring her memories, she found nothing unpleasant. But something happened in this house. Like pressure exploding from a bottle, the knowledge burst from within, knowledge she could no longer ignore. _Something happened in this house._

"Midori?"

She startled. It wasn't like Sirius to actually use her name.

He appeared solemn, almost grave.

"Why did she call you pet?"

"It's a term of affection." Midori whispered, trying not to tremble. That word…

It was a trigger. Not enough to set her off but it rattled her.

"It's not a term of endearment if you object to it. You don't like it. It makes you uncomfortable."

"I don't like you calling me names either," Midori protested weakly. "Look, I'm sorry I overreacted. It's just that – I'm used to my father calling me pet. You calling me that name… feels wrong."

Sirius's tone was extraordinary gentle, his touch butterfly light as he stroked her shoulders but her tremors grew worse. "Don't lie to me. Don't lie to yourself. Do your parents regard you as such? Do they love you like a daughter or–"

Midori whirled, breaking free just before the door opened.

Norman Brooks stood in the doorway, an imposing man, not handsome but regal in bearing. Grey dusted his temples, thin-wire spectacles doing little to diminish the impact of hard brown eyes staring at Sirius, derisory.

Midori felt rather like a bone in presence of two dogs sizing each other up. To her shock Norman didn't offer Sirius a handshake.

The breach of etiquette spoke louder than words.

"Father," Midori said, interring irritation beneath false serenity. "This is Sirius Black. My boyfriend."

Nodding curtly, Norman gestured, "Come pet. Our guests are waiting."

"Come pet," Sirius said mockingly beneath his breath after her father's departure.

Anger faltered as Sirius dropped a kiss to her forehead. "Have I told you how beautiful you look?"

"No. Don't kiss me when I'm mad at you."

"Actions speak louder than words, kitten. The minute I saw you in this dress I had to get it off."

A reluctant smile twitched Midori's lips. "You looked like you were having a heart attack."

"Midori?" Norman's voice doused ice on nascent desire. "Come along now!"

"Chin up, kitten. At least you know who belong to now." Sirius murmured, palming her lower back.

She should be infuriated, Midori told herself sternly, trying not to melt. "I'm not a pet. I belong to me."

"I belong to you," Sirius retorted. "But you belong to me."

That effectively silenced her as her poor mind struggled to process the bombshell declaration.

Midori faltered as conversation drifted up the stairs. Norman waited impaitently by the landing, his displeasure striking her across the distance.

Sirius glanced at her, squeezing her hand. "Just remember, it's my debut, not yours, babe. Don't hog the limelight."

The pressure eased around her throat. Drawing a deep breath, Midori started toward the landing.

She'd lived in a doll's world, a toy locked away until her parents wanted to show her off but she was shaking off the shackles now, a girl coming to life.

It was thirty-seven steps to the gallery where esteemed members of society gathered dressed to impress, sipping champagne, snapping fingers at the servants, and raking her with steely eyes.

Grateful for Sirius's arm, Midori led the procession to the dining room, a lavish affair fit for a king.

The amount of squandered wealth on display was staggering. Goblin-wrought gold plates and cultery glinted from the table, emeralds encrusted into the handles of goblets.

Most of Norman's guests were already seated, thirty-six in total, a smaller audience than she anticipated and for that she thanked Merlin for small miracles.

Midori held her chin high as she sailed past Narcissa and Bellatrix, tightening her grip on Sirius's hand when his gaze clashed with his cousins.

When food appeared by magic, Midori's heart seized. Without Lulu, it shouldn't be possible.

A toast proposed by Orion Black and Norman sparked suspicion as Midori stared at the deep ruby liquid in her cup.

Déjà vu. She couldn't shake off the feeling or sense of forbidding.

While she didn't believe her father intended to poison her, unbending reserve kept Midori from picking up the chalice as memories whispered across her mind.

"We're underage, father." She said, streaming water from her wand into an empty cup. "It's illegal for minors to drink alcohol."

Stony silence met her declaration.

"We don't use our wands at the table," Renia broke the silence, chiding. "Midori, please."

"Apologies, mother."

Sandwiched between her parents, Bellatrix kept quiet, lips twitching. There was a smug complacency about her Midori didn't trust.

Despite the terse atmosphere Midori found herself repeatedly waylaid by Sirius's fork. His strange preoccupation feeding her had the opposite effect of convincing the world they were a couple, as if he was forcing himself to be romantic as she choked and spluttered.

Roasted pheasant, lobster salad, stuffed mushrooms, an exotic smorgasbord of food assailed Midori but chewing kept her mouth occupied and good manners dictated she couldn't speak with a full mouth, allowing her to escape interrogation.

Sirius wasn't so lucky. Even good manners couldn't prevent Walburga tearing strips of his hide, discomforting even Norman and Renia, legendary for their ability to fixate that polite mask no matter how tragic an evening.

It was all Midori could do not to hex the spiteful old woman.

As the plates cleared and dessert flourished into existence, Midori stabbed a piece of sticky toffee pudding and thrust it into Sirius's mouth.

It was strange, sitting beside him in her house surrounded by people she didn't trust, spine rippling from the invisible knives digging into her back.

Conversation was trivial. Undercurrents seethed beneath the banal topics and it was dizzying trying to decode them all.

Almost over, Midori thought when the plates cleared.

A Stunning Hex hit Sirius between the eyes. Several more hexes slammed into him, slamming him backward. Vines twisted around Midori's wrists, hardening into metal shackles as she reached for her wand.

"Now." Norman Brooks said, smiling coldly. "We move onto tonight's entertainment, the moment we've all been waiting for."


End file.
